by Matt Fischer (matt@sportsformulator)
The Clippers‘ saga is just beginning now that they’ve been eliminated from the NBA Playoffs. Since OKC knocked them out, Donald Sterling has said he’s not paying the $2.5 million fine nor accepting his banishment from the NBA. The Clippers coming off their best season in Sterling’s tenure as owner, they now face a potential disastrous offseason as Sterling seems to be readying himself for a brawl with the NBA to keep the Clippers.
What impact will this fight have on the Clippers? It’s hard to say exactly right now but after the potential walkouts from players had Sterling not been banned by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. Doc Rivers came to the Clippers to try to bump a playoff contender to title contender just a year ago. Now he’s facing working for an owner that has a history of discrimination and intolerance and a player revolt against that same owner. If Sterling does take this to court and doesn’t go quietly, will anyone be in a Clippers uniform come October 2014? Does Rivers want to stick around for this? He’ll be a hot coaching commodity should he decide to leave.
The biggest opening could make it an easy decision for Rivers. He could live in the same city, take the same route to work, work in the same building and work for a less controversial owner. The Los Angeles Lakers have spent this season as LA’s “other team” as they had a miserable season that has them hoping to win the NBA Draft lottery. This leads to a potential decision for Doc. Does he hop across Staples Center from the Clippers to the Lakers?
He would put the Lakers right back up on the marqee. I’m sure Kobe Bryant would back the hire and it could help the Lakers land help for Kobe via a big name free agent. This is going to be a very interesting offseason in LA.