Los Angeles Clippers Sever Ties with Mike Dunleavy

Somewhere Bill Simmons, ESPN columnist who has made his dislike for Dunleavy evident in several articles, is smiling.

The final link between Mike Dunleavy and the Clippers was officially severed today.  Word apparently arrived via email and was shared with viewers of the Clipper game against the Orlando Magic by Clipper announcers Ralph Lawler and Mike Smith.  No press conference, no semblance of order, not even a thank you in the official notice.  Dunleavy is simply gone and we are left to wonder what exactly is going on in Clipper Nation.

That’s not to say this was unexpected, it was.  In seven years Dunleavy managed just a single winning season.  Of course, when you compare that to his predecessors that’s not so bad, but a 1 for 7 average tends to get people fired. 

In addition to less then expected results and more than enough time to deliver Dunleavy was also a very well paid G.M.  When he stepped down as coach Dunleavy became a $5 million dollar a year G.M., a fact that must have made Donald Sterling bristle.

All that no doubt contributed to today’s announcement which was terse and seemed almost cruel. “The organization has determined that the goal of building a winning team is best served by making this decision at this time,” the statement read.

“The team has simply not made sufficient progress during Dunleavy’s seven-year tenure. The Clippers want to win now. This transition, in conjunction with a full commitment to dedicate unlimited resources, is designed to accomplish that objective.”

Are they saying Dunleavy didn’t want to win now?  Saying there was no progress seems disingenuous as well.  The team came within one game of the Western Conference Finals and was positioned to progress save an unexpected defection by Elton Brand and a bad break by Blake Griffins knee.  Finally, where is the thank you?  Maybe it is in the full statement that we aren’t privy to but I am most bothered by the lack of gratitude.

Say what you want about Mike Dunleavy but it is undeniable that he took the Clippers farther than they had ever gone before.  That alone deserves an exit with a tad more grace than the franchise showed today.

So, what was today’s move exactly?  Simply the release of an underachieving G.M.?  A move to save money (because he was fired Dunleavy is no doubt still entitled to his $5 million). Or was it another block in the Clippers attempt to build a bridge to Ohio?

The free agent frenzy of 2010 is upon us and Dunleavy did all he could to position the Clippers as players in the game.  Ironically, this latest move by the team may have been the final piece of posturing by the club.  L.A. has a lot to offer potential suitors but all the positives are lost on some under the shadow of Clipper history. 

For a player to come to L.A. it is going to take more than Venice Beach and the opportunity to show up to practice in flip-flops.  It is going to take a shift in ideology that may very well begin with a coach.

Coaches have been rumored to have an interest in the Clipper coach since Dunleavy stepped aside.  Byron Scott, Avery Johnson were both immediately tossed around as potential new coaches.  Most interesting was a rumor that Larry Brown had reached out to the Clippers to express his interest. 

Sources that started that rumor, um broke that story, made it clear that Brown would be interested but only if the position came with control over player movement.  Was this the first step to extending an offer to Larry Brown?

Or are the Clippers positioning themselves as a lump of clay free to be molded in the shape that any free agent would like?  “Normal” players simply require a contract.  “Great” players might require some incentives and bonuses. 

The class of 2010, however, has a few players that fit into the “once in a lifetime” player category.  For those type of players a contract, incentives and bonuses simply aren’t enough.  Players like that might want to at least have a say in everything from the G.M. to the cheerleaders.

The Clippers are now in position to oblige such a request.

Whatever the reason for his dismal I don’t share Bill Simmons disdain for Dunleavy.  He build the best Clipper team in franchise history and then rebuilt them when bad fortune struck.  He drafted well and make trades that, more often than not, favored the Clippers.  Sadly for Dunleavy his moves didn’t add up to wins often enough.

Is it a curse?  Is it karma?  Who knows, but the Clipper <insert your favorite nonsensical term here> has claimed its latest victim.

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