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[SuperNova854]

Clippers Waive Mike Taylor



The Los Angeles Clippers today waived guard Mike Taylor

Taylor played in 51 games for the Clippers last season, making five starts and averaging 5.7 points, 1.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 15.1 minutes.

The first-year player was drafted by Portland on June 26, 2008 and then traded to the Clippers in exchange for a 2009 second round draft pick.

[James2Stapleton]

WTF
mike taylor is leaving?

[SuperNova854]

Thats what im saying

[SuperNova854]

Clippers Release 2009-10 Schedule



With Blake Griffin, the number one pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, joining All-Star point guard Baron Davis, the Los Angeles Clippers open the 2009-10 NBA season on Tuesday, October 27 at STAPLES Center in an away game against the defending NBA Champion and city rivals the Los Angeles Lakers at 7:30 p.m. on TNT.

The Clippers kick-off the home portion of their schedule the next night, October 28 against Phoenix. Los Angeles hosts seven of their first 10 games at STAPLES Center, highlighted by Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks coming to Los Angeles on Halloween Night, October 31 and Chris Paul and New Orleans playing at STAPLES Center on November 9.

The Clippers will play 22 sets of back-to-back games in 2009-10, up from the 21 sets of back-to-back contests last season. The Clippers have six road trips of three games or more this season, with the longest road stretch of the season being an eight-game trek from January 21 – February 3 that includes stops in Denver, Boston, Cleveland and Chicago. Los Angeles also embarks on a five-game trip starting December 16 and culminating in a Christmas Day contest in Phoenix broadcast live on ESPN, marking the first Christmas Day game for the Clippers since 1992. The Clippers final five-game road-trip of the season goes from March 6 – March 13, beginning in Utah and ending in San Antonio.

This season, the Clippers have 13 games featured on national television, appearing three times on TNT, five times on ESPN and five times on NBA TV. Other highlights of the schedule include a visit from LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers on January 16 as well as a match-up with Dwight Howard, Vince Carter and the defending Eastern Conference Champion Orlando Magic December 8. Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and the Boston Celtics come to town December 27, while the Clippers host their first contest against the Lakers on Wednesday, January 6.

Los Angeles faces every team in the Western Conference a total of four times (two home and two away), with the exception of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets and Dallas Mavericks, who they will play three times each.

With reduced prices on all 2009-10 game plans, the Clippers announced that group tickets for all games, as well as partial plan schedules that include half-season, 12, eight and four game packages are currently available. Eight-game partial plans include both Clippers-Lakers contests, while 12-game partial plans feature lower level seating.

For fans who make a partial plan deposit, the Clippers will host a partial plan Select-A-Seat Event on August 15, allowing fans to choose their own seat location. Single game tickets will go on sale on September 26.

[SuperNova854]

Clippers discussing a sign and trade with The Bucks



Since the commencement of free agency in the NBA on July 1, it's been generally assumed the New York Knicks were the frontrunners for Ramon Sessions.

That might not be the case anymore.

The Los Angeles Clippers have intensified their interest in Sessions and appear on the brink of making a strong pitch for him.

The scuttlebutt around the NBA is the clippers and Bucks are discussing a sign-and-trade scenario with Sessions, a restricted free agent, being the central figure.

The Clippers would ideally like to include point guard Sebastian Telfair in the deal, and have also tossed out some other possibilities, including a draft pick.

If the Clippers can't come to an agreement with the Bucks on a sign-and-trade arrangement, there are growing indications they'll extend an offer sheet to Sessions.

[SuperNova854]

Clippers to Meet with Wafer



Los Angeles Clippers head coach Mike Dunleavy asked free agent guard Von Wafer to come to L.A. Tuesday to meet with him.

"My agent called and said I am going to have lunch with Coach Dunleavy and the Clippers (Tuesday)," Wafer said in an interview Monday with FOX 26 Sports. "So I'm very excited and very happy."

After being with five teams in four years, Wafer was finally able to play meaningful minutes as a member of the Rockets and show what he can do coming off the bench.

He played in 63 games, starting 11 and was sixth on the team in scoring at 9.7 points a game. However, his play last season has not translated into the type of contract he was looking for. The Clippers invitation couldn't have come at a better time.

"It means a lot because it's been a tough time," Wafer said. "This free agency has been real difficult for me to deal with. It's just real stressful. I'm just ready for it to be over.

"At the same I want to get a situation that's best for me and my family. Just because I'm tired and upset doesn't mean I go out and do something. I've got to be patient."

Wafer believes part of his problem is how he is portrayed by the media and on the internet.

"I read all the comments that people make. They say I'm a weak defender. I feel I need to work on that. That's good.

"But it just irks me every time I always see he's a good player or he's an OK player, but he's a head case. That's just something that bothers me because I don't understand where people could get that from. I don't understand."

Wafer knows some of the negative speculation about him probably stems from his disagreement on national television with Rockets head coach Rick Adelman during game two of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Adelman was in the process of replacing him on the floor and Wafer didn't act appropriately. Adelman sent Wafer to the locker room for the rest of the game.

Wafer apologized the next day for his actions and again during this interview.

"I'm sorry that it happened," Wafer said. "There was a lot of tension in the air and I'm a very emotional player and sometimes I do things without thinking. In that instance it was wrong what I did.

"I wasn't trying to show up Coach Adelman. I was just upset because I really wanted to be in the game. It didn't look good and I can understand where Coach Adelman was coming from. He has to do what he did. I didn't mean it that way and I just think it got blown all out of proportion."

While Wafer will meet with the Clippers Tuesday, he is still hopeful he might be able to return to the Rockets.

"This is where I want to be," Wafer said. "They gave me my first opportunity. I want to be here."

But if that's not possible, and the Clippers make him an offer, Wafer could be changing addresses again.

[SuperNova854]

Wiz, Clippers two teams poised for a breakout season



The NBA just released the schedule for the upcoming season and you know what game caught my attention? Not the Shaq-Kobe-LeBron hook up on Christmas, but Dec. 14, when the Wizards head to L.A. to play the Clippers.

Only Sacramento had a worse record than the 19-win Wiz and Clips last season, but the Kings were supposed to be awful, with that basically D-League roster they trotted out every night. Washington and L.A. were supposed to be better than that. Yeah, both teams faced serious health issues all season -- Wiz starters Gilbert Arenas and Brendan Haywood played a combined eight games, and the Clips rarely had their team at full strength -- and four of the Clips' top six players were new to the squad. But 19 wins was just deplorable.

I see change on the horizon, though. When both squads meet up in mid-December we might be watching two teams on their way to 50 wins.

Check these seven-man rotations. The Clips can come with two physical guards (Baron Davis and Eric Gordon), three bigs (veterans Marcus Camby and Chris Kaman and top pick Blake Griffin), with Ricky Davis and Al Thorton on the wings. Even in the stacked West, that's a tough squad. The Wiz will play three All-Stars (Gil, Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison), a stopper (Deshawn Stevenson), one of the better young combo guards in the league (Randy Foye), a long-range bomber (Mike Miller), a rising scorer (Nick Young) and a center (Haywood) that can average close to a double-double. Both rosters are among the league's 16 best -- period. That means what? Playoffs. Yeah, I said it.

Everyone should be scared about a motivated Davis. Last season was a humiliating homecoming. I wrote a SLAM magazine feature on him before the beginning of last season's nightmare. Although the Elton Brand-to-Philly flip-flop was still stinging a bit, our conversations were full of optimism. He was intent on putting the Clips on the map.

Then the season happened. Nobody was more embarrassed than Davis. He's out to right wrongs now, and that means trouble for the league's point guards. Some folks may have forgotten that, when healthy, Davis is a top 15 player.

Then there's Gordon, fresh off Vegas runs at the Team USA mini-camp and owner of one of the prettiest jumpers in recent memory. Gordon is one of those dudes that can get off his shot on anyone, at any time. And the cat isn't even of drinking age yet. When you have two potential 20-point scorers in your backcourt and back that up with two big men that compliment each other (Camby's the defender, Kaman's the scorer -- both hit the boards hard), then you can see why I don't even have to add Griffin to the equation. Griffin could be a bust and this team would still be battling with Phoenix, New Orleans, Utah and the other squads that will beef for the last few spots in the West.

Meanwhile, back East, we're about to get reaquainted with one of the most unique talents and personalities of the decade. Who misses Agent Zero? I do. From 2004-08, Arenas was right up there with Kobe, D-Wade and 'Melo as a scorer. He averaged 26, then 28 and then 29 ppg. A torn MCL has derailed him the past two seasons, but the talk is that he's back to his old self. And he may not be the best player on his team.

Butler (aka Holy Caron, bka Tough Juice) is one of the most underrated players in the league. He can score every way, hit up a squad for 40 and shut down his opponent while he's at it. Between him and Stevenson, Washington has swag to spare.

Washington, on paper, is kinda frightening. I spoke with one Eastern conference exec a few days after the Wizards pulled off the Minny trade for Foye and Miller and he said plainly, "If those guys can stay healthy, that's an elite team." I didn't disagree.

If you're looking for a squad that can surprise everyone -- a la last season's Orlando -- check for these two squads. Their '08-09 campaigns were forgettable. Next season should be one to remember.

By Vincent Thomas, NBA.com

[SuperNova854]

We're gonna spank that ass.

:dito:

[James2Stapleton]

wafer signed with olympiakos

[SuperNova854]

Clippers trade second-round pick to Hornets for Butler



The New Orleans Hornets, in a move to shed some payroll after the recent acquisition of Emeka Okafor, have agreed to trade swingman Rasual Butler to the Los Angeles Clippers for a future second-round pick, according to NBA front-office sources.

The trade is expected to be announced later Wednesday.

Butler is scheduled to earn $3.9 million next season. With the Clippers looking for an extra shooter and depth at both shooting guard and small forward, sources said the team was amenable to absorbing the final year of Butler's contract, which will save New Orleans nearly $8 million when factoring in the luxury-tax implications.

[SuperNova854]

Clippers Closing In On Sessions



The New York Knicks reportedly came close to a deal for Ramon Sessions a month ago.

Now the Los Angeles Clippers appear to be near an acquisition of the Bucks' restricted free-agent guard.

Clipper coach Mike Dunleavy is not commenting on the subject.

[Macken]

making big moves.. sessions will be a good pickup

[SuperNova854]

Yep, hoping we can get him.

[SuperNova854]

NBA Star Warns Over Stolen Laptop



A laptop containing "a variety of private images" of NBA star Baron Davis has been stolen and the athlete's lawyers are threatening legal action if the material is published. Counsel for the the Los Angeles Clippers guard, a two-time All-Star and novice film producer, yesterday sent news outlets a letter threatening legal action over the personal photos, videos, and audio stored on the computer. Davis's counsel reported that the laptop theft has been reported to police, who are "investigating the matter." The photos and videos "depict, among other things, a variety of private images of our client, his associates and his colleagues," wrote lawyer William J. Briggs, II. Davis "had a reasonable expectation of enjoying total privacy with regard to the images," Briggs added. The 30-year-old Davis, who earns about $12 million annually, recently produced "Crips and Bloods," a documentary about the nation's most notorious street gangs.

[SuperNova854]

Former Clipper Accused of Pizza Joint Beatdown



He was hungry for some pizza -- but a man who happened to be dining at the same restaurant as NBA star Zach Randolph last year says the basketball star dished out an asskicking! But wait! According to Zach, it could be a shake down. Or a Shakey Down.

A guy named Gary Ferguson has filed a lawsuit against Randolph, claiming the former Los Angeles Clipper beat the crap out of him on a night when the Clips got beat down on the court.

It all went down inside Berri's Pizza Cafe in L..A. -- where Randolph allegedly "verbally and physically threatened" Gary before "attacking" the guy.

Gary's lawyer claims his client walked away with damaged teeth, a messed up neck and back, a knee injury that will require surgery, and scars on his face.

As for Zach -- his lawyer, Raymond Brothers, tells us he met with Gary's lawyer who first demanded $250,000, then $200,000 and finally $25,000.

Brothers says Gary's own lawyer said Gary was "out of control" and just wanted a quick payout. Brothers says it was a shake down and he walked out, only to get a call from Gary's star witness, who said the case would go away quick if he coughed up some dough. Brothers told her to pound sand.

By TMZ