The Los Angeles Clippers are one of the many teams fighting for position in the Western Conference behind the Golden State Warriors. The Clippers are looking to win now and built their roster in order to do so. However, what happens if the Clippers do not win it all this season? Is breaking up the roster an option for Los Angeles?
The Clippers have several high-profile players on their roster. They inked DeAndre Jordan to a max contract this past summer to go along with the deals for Blake Griffin and Chris Paul. If the Clippers do not win it all this season, speculation is running is wild that team will trade off at least one of those big contracts. Head coach Doc Rivers laughed off the idea that the franchise will need to break down their roster at the end of the year.
"Obviously, if we are not there in two years from now you re-think things," Rivers said. "But you don't blow your team up every year. I keep laughing at everyone who says [to do] that. That's the guys who have never really been in it. You keep just going forward. Keep your core and see if you can get it right. That's it."
Rivers' comments will not stop the talk that the Clippers will have to do something if they do not win a title. Point guard Jamal Crawford believes a breakup could be coming. The Clippers have not done well in the playoffs over the past few seasons. They continue to come up short against teams like the Warriors and San Antonio Spurs. The re-signed Jordan and traded for Jeff Green in hopes of different results, but regardless of what Rivers says, Crawford believes change is on the horizon.
"If we don't win it this year - and I'm not speaking for anybody, just real talk - they have to consider it," Crawford said. "Because that would be what, five years since Chris came? Blake's been here that long. Five years for myself. A lot of teams don't get that kinda time."
Currently focused on the next few months, the biggest thing for the Clippers will be getting Griffin back from injury to help with the playoff push. The forward has been out healing a broken hand. After being spotted shooting the basketball with teammates, speculation rose that Griffin would be back sooner rather than later. Rivers downplayed the idea saying he was "not close" to a return.
