I look at the team at a whole not some obscure win share numbers or PER, which I'm not a big fan of. He's a solid bench player and the clippers have actually built a pretty deep team. And the clippers did not "luck" into CP3. They put a better offer out there versus anyone else. The Lakers trade was rightfully vetoed by the ownership of the team. It was a stupid fucking trade for NOLA. Olshey used pressure and the billups signing into getting the deal done. Billups was a whiner, no one wanted to touch him based on his statements after getting amnestied, yet Olshey took a chance and it did pay off earlier in the season. They were on point earlier then fell off after Billups got injured. What I like about Olshey is he's slick and somewhat two faced about getting the deal done.
Actually, they did "luck" out in the fact that they were in the drivers seat in that whole fiasco. CP3 demanded a trade to one of the L.A. teams. That is a fact. Seeing that the Lakers had no young assets/picks to give the rebuilding Hornets they really had no real chance. Stern and the NBA, owners of the Hornets, made a great move by vetoing the deal to opt for the Gordon/Pick pagage, a no-brainer. "Anyone else" had a 0% chance if you weren't one of the L.A. teams. You'd have a point if CP3 demanded a trade without a certain team/market in mind.
He'd also have a point if Paul had demanded an extension with LAC. Instead, he's a UFA after this season, and LAC may be left with nothing for Paul, which would pretty much be typical of that franchise. Paul got to go to LAC to play with a promising young All-Star. That team fell flat in the conference semifinals, and next year doesn't seem much better, unless another All-NBA player demands to play in LA. I'd also point out that LAC were 27th in the NBA for Pace this year, basically tied with Portland in fastbreak points per game, but I'm sure it won't matter.
and it won't be on Olshey's record if Paul does walk now will it? Look, you can try and come up with all of the excuses that you want...but the bottom line is that he DID get Chris Paul and the Clippers had the assets stockpiled TO make that trade....He DID convince Billups to come play for the Clippers, even though Chauncey had expressly stated that he did not want to be picked up....and he DID pick up Nick Young for virtually nothing.... as for Lebron, look he was never going to go there, everyone knew that, but you have to give credit to Olshey for putting the Clippers in the conversation and getting to the table in the 1st place, that move was never about Lebron...it was about imag,e and for a franchise with such a piss poor image that move was a start...and at the end of the day the Clippers are an up and coming, exciting young team who made it to the 2nd round of the playoffs...and POR is a lottery team.... I like the hire, I like his moxie, but make no mistake if he screws up the draft or whiffs in free agency, I am not going to give him a free pass...I agree that he\they can call it whatever they like...rebuild...relaod...whatever..but this is a 2-3 year process....Olshey has that much time to show a significant upward trend for this team, and if he doesn't, well then he won't be here long after that...This offseason will ether be a huge boost to that effort or a large stumbling block....I hope he makes the right calls.... I will add however, that if the rumours are true, Meyers Leonard and Damian Lillard appear to me to be a step in the wrong direction....
