Say goodbye to the Clippers

On Sunday afternoon, Chris Paul took his last steps off the court as an L.A. Clipper. This should not come as a shock to people especially considering everything the Clippers have been through since they acquired him.

Despite their recent success in the league, the Clippers have underachieved. Shocking for a team that until they acquired Chris Paul would have given anything to make the playoffs each and every year. The Clippers not making it past the 2nd round of the playoffs with a roster stacked with the likes of Paul, Griffin, Jordan, Crawford, and having a coach of Doc Rivers caliber is totally mind blowing.

Most people will call it a fluke, some will point to injuries, others will say it's the curse of the Clippers. I say it's more a reflection that some people on that team that were anointed superstars are not superstars. Blake Griffin is a glass titan. When he's on the court he can put up decent numbers and thunderous dunks, but more often than not when playoff time rolls around he's injured and sitting out. Deandre Jordan, well.. he's a good dunker let's leave it at that. Which brings me to the person who is supposed to lift his team to great heights because he is a "superstar" Chris Paul.

Chris Paul, is a regular season superstar. He makes all-star appearances (9), he's a 4x first team all NBA player, 8x Defensive all team player, 2x Olympic gold medalist, and yet for some reason his teams falter when it comes to the playoffs. Over the last decade, only two teams have not made the conference finals. That would be the LA clippers and the New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans. Paul has played for both of those teams during that span.

Sure people will say that it's the job of the GM to bring in talent to play around Paul. I would argue that with that team what could Westbrook or Harden have done? Paul cannot get a pass and should not get a pass.

The Clippers themselves are a disaster waiting to happen. Expect Paul to opt out and either join the team on the other side of L.A. or team up with Lebron or D-Wade. Griffin will follow to a new destination, JJ Redick is going to get big money on the F.A. market, and that leaves Deandre Jordan as your main stay from the lob city era.

How long before the Clippers find themselves at the bottom of the barrel once again?