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What can Brown do for you? The Clippers could find out as soon as tonight after acquiring point guard Bobby Brown on Tuesday from the New Orleans Hornets for a conditional second-round draft pick, a move they hope will bolster their depleted backcourt. The Clippers pounced on the opportunity to add the former Westchester High and Cal State Fullerton player after recent injuries to guards Sebastian Telfair and Eric Gordon forced them to sign JamesOn Curry from the Development League. Telfair will be sidelined at least a month because of a groin injury and Gordon has missed three consecutive games because of a sprained big toe on his left foot. The 6-foot-2 Brown gives the Clippers an element they had been missing: a small, quick guard who can defend similarly skilled counterparts. "It's a great pickup for us," Clippers General Manager and Coach Mike Dunleavy said. "He's a guy who can score and has great quickness. Offensively, I know he's fast and he can shoot the ball, which are two good qualities for us." Brown also probably won't cost the Clippers anything. New Orleans will more than cover his $736,420 salary in payments to the Clippers while shedding that salary from its payroll to move under the NBA's luxury-tax threshold. The Clippers will have to forfeit a draft pick in 2014 only if they finish among the NBA's top five teams that season. Brown was scheduled to join the Clippers on Tuesday night and could make his debut in tonight's game against New Jersey . The Clippers released Curry, whom they had recently signed to a 10-day contract, to create a roster spot for Brown. Brown, 25, was averaging 6.6 points and 2.1 assists this season in 22 games for the Hornets. But his playing time had been curtailed this month after being supplanted by Darren Collison as Chris Paul's primary backup. Undrafted out of Fullerton , where he was the Titans' all-time leading scorer, Brown helped Alba Berlin win the German League title in 2007-08 before signing with Sacramento as a free agent. He played in 68 games as an NBA rookie last season with the Kings and Minnesota Timberwolves, averaging 5.3 points. "When he's played consistent minutes like he did in Sacramento, he's produced," said Clippers assistant general manager Neil Olshey, who got a close look at Brown a few years ago when he helped conduct summer workouts for local college players. If the Clippers like the way Brown performs, they can extend him a qualifying offer next summer that would make him a restricted free agent. Olshey said the Brown deal was not an indication that Gordon's injury was more serious than initially feared. The second-year guard continues to be listed as day to day. But the Clippers also can't escape the fact their depth at point guard does not extend beyond Baron Davis and Mardy Collins. "We have one more injury," Olshey said, "and we're down to one point guard."
Los Angeles Clippers 2009 - 2010 Season Preview: For a minute this offseason it looked like the Clippers finally put all the pieces together. With a potential lineup featuring two legitimate All-Stars – Baron Davis and Elton Brand – it looked like the Paper Clips would be able to contend in the powerful Western Conference. But alas, it was just a pipe dream, because as soon as Baron Davis signed, Elton Brand bolted to Philly. It seems that the woeful Clipper management lowballed Brand and he decided to get the hell out of town. To a lifelong Clipper fan like me that really bites it, but I am used to disappointment when it comes to my team. I am a long-suffering Clipper fan. I've followed them since the days of Randy Smith and Swen Nater. I remember the Bill Walton fiasco and World B. Free firing-up shots from everywhere on the court. I witnessed the highs of the Danny Manning- and Ron Harper-led Larry Brown playoff teams to the hopes of the Lamar Odom, Darius Miles, Q. Richardson squads to the recent Sam Cassell and Brand playoff monsters that were almost there. They were so close but now it has all imploded again. But still I have faith in my team. I forgive them for being an NBA laughingstock and cellar dweller. I forgive them for past mistakes like drafting Benjamin Benoit and Michael Olowkandi. I forgive them for letting Elgin Baylor mess up, again and again and again. My love for the Paper Clips is everlasting. I'm not a new age Hollywood fan like Billy Crystal, I'm a lifelong fan who was born and raised in San Diego and remembers the Terry Cummings for Marques Johnson and Byron Scott for Norm Nixon trades with distaste in my mouth. But it's all good so I'll stop reminiscing and tell you about my hopes for this year's team. It would have been nice to keep Corey Maggette, but the Duke product was allowed to bounce up the coast to the Warriors. In Clipper Nation, we are now looking at a starting lineup of Baron Davis at the point, Cutino Mobley at the two, Al Thorton at the three and Chris Kaman and Marcus Camby in the power spots, not a championship lineup but a playoff lineup nonetheless, and the Clips will make the playoffs. The seed just depends on Baron's health. Baron Davis is that transcendent player that the Clips have never had. That guy with Superstar potential who can put a team on his back. Baron Davis can win the MVP. He has that type of talent. It's just a big if to see is his body will hold up. He was the force that put the Warriors on his back and led them to their recent success. After being written-off due to his injury plagued years with the Hornets, he made it all the way back to the limelight with his play on the Warriors. This Clipper fan is hoping he can make it a special homecoming in LA and bring that energy, fire and star status to the Clip Nation. I put it all on Baron Davis' shoulders – the Clips will live and die with him. Other than Davis, who is the only bona fide star on the roster, the Clips have a solid crew of supporting players and potential. Camby is a beast and knows how to win, when he is healthy that is. But if you look at it like a straight trade, Davis and Camby for Brand and Maggette maybe the Clips got the better deal. Mobley is solid if not spectacular. Kaman is a potential top five center if he stays focused, After his Olympic debut as a German, here's hoping he can give the Clips his all, because they will need him to get a double-double every night. If Kaman and Camby can give that type of production along with big man defense, look out. Al Thorton is only getting better and his energy and hustle are very desirable traits at the three. He just needs to improve his outside shot. So the starting five is solid. Now to the bench. Ricky Davis and Tim Thomas are big question marks because you never know what you will get. Both players always had the potential to be scary good, but both players never lived up to the hype. But I think in roles off the bench, they can contribute. If either of them start, then the Clips are in trouble. Brian Skinner and Paul Davis are serviceable backups at best – if either of them start, the Clips are in very big trouble as well. Now we get to the potential: Eric Gordon. If Gordon can be that scoring spark off the bench while being groomed to take Mobley's place, the Clips can compete in the West's upper echelons because for real, this kid can be crazy good. All the elements are there and this team looks a lot better going in then last year; it's just a question of all the players staying healthy and playing ball because the talent is definitely there. I applaud Elgin Baylor and Mike Dunleavey for putting this team together and can't wait to see them on the floor together. Last season, the Los Angeles Clippers finished the regular season with a 23-59 win-loss record. This was mainly because of key injuries to certain players that all but diminished the hopes of this team to even try making it to the playoffs. With injuries to Sam Cassell, Elton Brand, Cuttino Mobley, and Chris Kaman during the most part of the regular season, the Clippers were practically left with role players hoping to make the cut in the team this upcoming season. This year, the Los Angeles Clippers will have a new look. After an injury-riddled season, the Clippers now has eleven new players with only four players from the 2007-2008 squad. With Elton Brand shocking the Clippers when he left the team through free agency, the team will now be relying on Baron Davis, who will provide the offense and leadership he had brought when he was still playing for Golden State, and Marcus Camby, who will provide the defensive presence the team didn't had last season. The team also acquired role players such as Ricky Davis, Jason Hart, and Brian Skinner to help develop the young players such as Eric Gordon, Al Thornton, Mike Taylor, and DeAndre Jordan. Also, the Clippers did sign Jason Williams from the Miami Heat but he decided to retire after playing 10 seasons in the NBA without playing a regular season game with the Clippers. With the acquisition of veteran players, this just shows how determined the Clippers are in making the playoffs this season and possibly contend for the championships.
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Los Angeles Clippers News Archive: Rookie Thornton Leads Clippers Past Warriors - 10/14/07
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