Category: Los Angeles Clippers Blog

The Los Angeles Clippers today exercised the club’s fourth-year contract option on guard Eric Bledsoe.

Bledsoe, who is entering his third NBA season, has averaged 5.6 points, 2.9 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 19.0 minutes over his career. In 40 regular season games played last year, Bledsoe tallied 3.3 points in 11.6 minutes per game.

The 6’1” guard out of Kentucky made a name for himself during the Clippers 2012 Playoff run, averaging 7.9 points overall while shooting 59 percent from the floor and 43 percent from behind the three-point line. He came into his own in the Clippers second round playoff series against the San Antonio Spurs, tallying 11.5 points while shooting 70 percent from the field and 50 percent from three-point range.

The Los Angeles Clippers today signed free agent forward Matt Barnes.

With Carol Butler as the likely starter at small forward, Barnes should be able to provide nice bench depth.

The Clippers also have Lamar Odom, who can fill in at either forward spot but is more of a big-man than a small forward.

The nine-year NBA veteran has averaged 7.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 21.3 minutes over his career. In 63 games played for the Lakers last season, Barnes tallied 7.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.

This marks Barnes’ second stint with the Clippers. After signing with Los Angeles as a free agent rookie in 2003-04, he averaged 4.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 19.1 minutes in 38 games played that season.

Barnes turned in his most productive NBA campaign with the Phoenix Suns during the 2008-09 season. In 77 games played (40 starts) with the Suns, Barnes averaged a career-high 10.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 27.0 minutes per game.

Aside from the Clippers, Lakers and Suns, Barnes has also played for the Sacramento Kings, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Golden State Warriors and Orlando Magic over his career.

Barnes was originally drafted in the second round (46th overall selection) of the 2002 NBA Draft by the Memphis Grizzlies but was traded to Cleveland prior to the start of his rookie season. After being waived by the Cavaliers during training camp, Barnes played 50 games for Fayetteville of the NBA D-League averaging 9.7 points and 3.3 rebounds during the 2002 season.

During his four-year collegiate career at UCLA (1998-2002), Barnes tallied 8.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 22.6 minutes per game. Barnes helped lead the Bruins to NCAA Tournament appearances in all four of his seasons at UCLA, including three straight appearances in the Sweet Sixteen.

The Los Angeles Clippers today announced that Gary Sacks has been promoted to the role of Vice President of Basketball Operations.

“Gary has been a valuable and loyal member of our organization for the past 18 years,” stated Clippers’ President Andy Roeser.  “His recent role this very productive summer, as well as his many contributions during the course of his tenure made it clear that he is the right person to lead our Basketball Operations Department.”

Sacks is beginning his 19th season with the Clippers, serving in the role of Director of Player Personnel for the past two campaigns and as Director of Scouting/Assistant Director of Player Personnel for the prior five seasons.

“I’m excited to take on this new role with the organization,” said Sacks.  “We have a very strong roster with great depth of talent. I look forward to helping to build on the success we had last season. I am very excited to see how far we can go this year, plus we are well-positioned for the future.”

Sacks continued, “I appreciate the confidence that that Mr. Sterling has placed in me, and I look forward to continuing to work with (Clippers’ Head Coach) Vinny (Del Negro) and Andy.”

The summer of 2012 saw one of the most productive offseasons in franchise history, with Sacks, Roeser and Del Negro teaming to re-sign two-time All-Star forward Blake Griffin and five-time All-Star guard Chauncey Billups.  To further enhance this year’s roster, the trio also completed the free agent signings of Jamal Crawford, Grant Hill, Lamar Odom and Ryan Hollins, plus the acquisitions of guard Willie Green and forward Ronny Turiaf via separate trades.

In his previous role of Director of Player Personnel, Sacks oversaw the team’s overall scouting efforts as well as the compilation of information on players entering the NBA Draft and professional players throughout the world.  He also assisted on all facets of the day-to-day direction of the basketball operations department including player trades and free agent acquisitions.

Throughout his career with the Clippers, Sacks has worked in various capacities within the basketball operations department assisting with draft and free agency information, video preparation, draft prospect and advance scouting reports, statistical analytics and NBA Salary Cap analysis.

A 1990 graduate with a degree in Economics from UCLA, Sacks, his wife Tiffany and their two sons reside in Westwood.

When Blake Griffin injured his knee on July 11 while training with Team USA, his chance to represent his country at the Olympics ended.

Griffin had surgery on July 16 to repair torn cartilage in his left knee and it has healed to the point where he is working out.

“I came back after surgery and started rehabbing and getting back into it. I’ve been shooting and lifting [weights] and all that for a while now,” Griffin told the Los Angeles Times on Friday. “So, I’m pretty much back at 100%, been back at 100% for a little bit. So I’m good.”

— Reported by CSN Philly

The Los Angeles Clippers today announced that All-Star point guard Chris Paul underwent successful surgery this morning to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb. The injury occurred last month during Team USA training camp in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The surgery was performed by Dr. Steven Shin, a hand specialist at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles.

Paul is expected to be sidelined for approximately eight weeks, at which time he is projected to resume all basketball activities including full contact.

Paul went on to help lead Team USA to winning the Gold Medal in the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. He started all eight games in the Olympics, averaging 8.3 points, 5.1 assists, an Olympic tournament-high 2.5 steals and 25.8 minutes per game.

Read NBA fan reaction and share your opinion in this basketball forum topic.

Lamar Odom and Shaquille O’Neal are back on Kobe Bryant’s team … in the celebrity attack on the Power Balance bracelet empire … TMZ has learned.

TMZ has obtained court papers, which show Odom claims the company stiffed him out of $133,870  before it filed for bankruptcy back in November.

Lamar was a minority investor in the company … and swore by the non-scientifically proven magical powers the hologram-embedded bracelet is said to possess.

— Reported by TMZ.com