Written by the AP On ESPN.com
The Los Angeles Clippers and coach Doc Rivers are settling in for what could be a wild offseason.
After another disappointing playoff exit — this time a first-round loss to Utah in seven games — the Clippers have a lot of work to do.
Will the Clippers blow up the core of the team and rebuild? Will the Big Three of Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan be broken up, with Griffin and Paul set to become free agents?
“I don’t know. I think they deserve a chance to win. They have built this legacy. I do believe that,” Rivers said Wednesday. “Whether that’s what we decide to do that or not. There’s a big part of me that believes (in them). These guys are responsible for the birth of our franchise in a lot of ways. They consider themselves Clippers. … I would love them to shepherd that through. Whether that happens or not, it’s too early to make all those decisions or they’ll make them for us. But I do have a strong belief in that.”
The Clippers have yet to make the Western Conference finals.
JJ Redick also is a free agent, and Luc Mbah a Moute has an option.
After dropping Game 7 to the Jazz on Sunday, the Clippers face an offseason with major questions. Three of the team’s top players can become free agents this summer.
The inability to beat the Jazz provided evidence for Rivers heading into free agency.
“We need length,” Rivers said. “We need more length and two-way players. Again, that’s easy to say. Little harder to do with the way our contracts are. We may continue to do what we’ve done or we may decide to change our contracts and have more flexibility.”
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