<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The Clippers today re-signed guard Marko Jaric and traded him and guard Lionel Chalmers to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for point guard Sam Cassell and a lottery protected first round selection in the 2006 NBA Draft, it was announced by Vice President of Basketball Operations Elgin Baylor. Entering his 13th NBA season, Cassell averaged 13.5 points, 5.1 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 25.8 minutes in 59 games played during the 2004-05 season. Cassell also connected on 319-687 FG (.464) and 134-155 FT (.865) on the year. He was sidelined for 23 games last season with a strained right hamstring. ?We?re excited to bring in a veteran player like Sam who brings nine years of playoff experience and two championships,? said Baylor. ?The addition of Sam strengthens our back court. He?s a big time scorer who is one of the best in the league when it comes to taking and making the big shot in the closing moments of a ball game.? </div> Link Not sure if I like the deal, Cassell's a great player but this is Livingston's spot at the point. You can't have Cassell's salery come off the bench so it looks like there's going to be another year with Livingston coming off the pine.
Boneheaded move IMO. Unless Cassell is willing to accept being SL14's backup and help him learn in pratice and stuff like that. If Sam indeed does start ahead of SL14, the Clippers may as well trade SL14 now, because SL14's gonna bolt if he doesn't feel the franchise has confidence in him. Boneheaded.
I wonder if this move may have anything to do with the trade rumors that were posted earlier. tha one with pierce going to the clips. i could see the clips sending sam and corey to the celts for pierce and banks. it does make sence dosen't it, cause then shaun would start and the celts would have their starting point guard. keep an eye on this.
I dont know if Cassell starts or not, dont really care as long as Sam plays the 4th, winning time. But on a side note people talking about the kid bolting and all that because he would feel the franchise isnt backing him? that is crazy...and he would never leave for that reason...what is he about 19 years old....I think he knows that he will have plenty of time to start in this league. Cassell wont be staying more then 1 year, unless something really dramatic happens like him helping to lead the Clippers to the playoffs. Then they may want to resign him and he may want to stay. But other than that I think he is gone.
I love this trade for the Clippers, last year they needed a go-to guy down the stretch, and now they added that player by landing Sam Cassell. I'm not sure if Cassell starts either, but he will be the closer down the stretch for the Clippers.
I don't know if i like this trade either. Cassell brings a lot to the clippers, But I'm not sure I like it if it stunts Livingstons progression.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting MiamiBalla12:</div><div class="quote_post">I don't know if i like this trade either. Cassell brings a lot to the clippers, But I'm not sure I like it if it stunts Livingstons progression.</div> Why would it stunt Livingston's progression? If the Clippers kept Jaric would it stunt Livingston's progression? If you answer no, then you must believe Cassell is actually better than Jaric, in which case this is a good trade. Livingston is only 19 years old. Do you really think he's capable of leading a team into the playoffs? One year with Sam Cassell around is not going to slow Livingston down at all. Having Cassell takes a lot of pressure off of Livingston, so he can progress the right way instead of being rushed to be the leader of the team.
Reminds me a little of the Kerry Kittles situation, except let's hope Cassell actually plays. It's a good move, Livingston and Cassell can play together at times with Cassell at the 2 offensively, and Livingston at PG, and it gives some nice backcourt rotations. The experience will also help. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Boneheaded move IMO. Unless Cassell is willing to accept being SL14's backup and help him learn in pratice and stuff like that. If Sam indeed does start ahead of SL14, the Clippers may as well trade SL14 now, because SL14's gonna bolt if he doesn't feel the franchise has confidence in him. Boneheaded.</div> Okay? Cassell has one more year left, it's not like Livingston won't get minutes, and it's still very possible that he starts over Sammy.
Jermaine O'Neal bolting the Blazers is why I think Livingston may leave the Clips when the Clips are hoping to re-sign him. The younger the guy, the more fragile his ego is(Leon Smith, anyone?). It's not like the Clippers actually have a legitimate shot at the NBA championship. Which is why I want to see SL14 start over Cassell. But then again, I doubt Cassell will have many minutes with his back problems..
The Blazers traded O'neal?? Players are restricted when coming off the rookie contracts, if the team really doesn't want them to leave, they won't leave.
At first glance, I can see why alot of people want to compare KK season with the Clippers to Sam coming to LA. But in reality the situations are different. Kerry Kittles had surgery during the 04 offseason, so he came to the Clippers while he was still trying to recover. And didnt really have the time to heel, properly, so that is why he couldnt consistently be on the floor. Yes, Sam is trying to recover....but his surgery was last offseason, not this one...so he is coming to the Clippers off a full offseason of healing. So its hard to imagine why he wouldnt be ready to go.....will he be a 19-20 ppg guy again? no, but I can see him being the 15-16ppg guy that he was at the start of last year before the hip let out mid-season almost.
i think they should start livingston over cassell so he will get used to the starting role. i live in seattle and we started ridnour over antonio daniels since he's going to be seattle's future point guard. the clips should do the same with him
Jermaine O Neal bolted from the Blazers when his rookie contract was up. O'Neal felt the organization had no confidence in him. He was supposedly destroying the veterans in pratice, yet got little to no minutes. When a organization drafts a teenager, they need to show confidence in him. I agree, If Cassell starts over Livingston I'll be disappointed, but I don't expect Cassell to average even 30 minutes anyway.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting chrisjr88:</div><div class="quote_post">i think they should start livingston over cassell so he will get used to the starting role. i live in seattle and we started ridnour over antonio daniels since he's going to be seattle's future point guard. the clips should do the same with him</div> I don't know. At first I thought that he should now after looking into I don't know. Half of me says that Livingston is still 19 years old as a lot of you mentioned and he has plenty of time to start at point guard in this league. But the other half says to start the future, and with Cassell off the bench can only help. The opening day starter will be Cassell, but I say by the all-star, you'll see number 14 in the starting lineup somehow whether it's moving Cassell to the two or moving him to the bench.
I think Cassell can still be a serviceable backup but not a suffecient starter. Livingston is bright player with a seemingly good future and he just might be one player that doesnt ditch the clippers if he has the option to. Livingston was injury rattled this past season so that was his setback but other than that he was good, and I think if he can stay injury free he'll be great.
Cassels move to the Clippers is a good thing for Livingston. SL will be able to feed off Cassels and gain more experience so that he can develop into a great point guard. SL is going to be great asset to the Clipps in the future and the more the Clippers can help progress his game the more its gonna benefit the team and us clippers fans.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting cliplove777:</div><div class="quote_post">Cassels move to the Clippers is a good thing for Livingston. SL will be able to feed off Cassels and gain more experience so that he can develop into a great point guard. SL is going to be great asset to the Clipps in the future and the more the Clippers can help progress his game the more its gonna benefit the team and us clippers fans. </div> Can't agree more.
