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Editor's Note: InsideHoops.com is far more optimistic about the Clippers future than this writer is. The views here are Mr. Lim's and not neccessarily those of this website.

The Los Angeles Clippers were meant to lose.

Of all the basketball franchises in the NBA, no ball club cares less about winning than the Los Angeles Clippers.

It’s hard to imagine why free-agent guard Cuttino Mobley would even consider joining a team that will be mired in mediocrity until owner Donald Sterling steps down.

The Clippers simply aren’t committed to establishing themselves as a respectable basketball organization.

They don’t put much effort into resigning their top players as evidenced this offseason by their failure to resign Bobby Simmons, the NBA’s most improved player last season, to a long-term contract.

They don’t make smart draft day decisions as evidenced by their decision to make Michael Olowankandi the number one overall pick in 1998 when Mike Bibby, Paul Pierce or Dirk Nowitzki could’ve been picked instead.

And thus, they don’t do much to encourage prospective free agents to sign with them.

Delusional Clippers fans may point to the signings of Corey Maggette and Elton Brand to long-term deals as an indication of the ball club’s new commitment to excellence.

They may also point to the fact that the Clippers finished with a better overall regular season record last season than their same-town rivals the Los Angeles Lakers.

But what they fail to understand is that, from top to bottom, the Clippers lack the same organizational resolve of the Lakers.

From owner Jerry Buss down to GM Mitch Kupchick down to head coach Phil Jackson down to superstar Kobe Bryant down to rookie Andrew Bynum (who probably won’t see much playing time this season), the Lakers are committed to winning.

Donald Sterling has yet to make that same commitment.

An NBA franchise’s commitment to winning starts from the top with its owner, and Sterling still doesn’t seem committed to winning.

It’s hard not to feel sorry for players like Brand and Maggette who were probably dumped into signing long-term contracts with the lowly Clippers.

Let us hope that Mobley doesn’t make the same mistake.

The versatile swingman would be solid addition to any contending NBA basketball team he chooses to sign with.

The key word is “contending,” which the Clippers are most certainly not.

He fits into the same niche category as players like Bruce Bowen and Doug Christie.

He is one of those defender-slash-shooter types.

In the 2004-2005 season, he shot a career high 44 percent from behind the arc and averaged little more than a steal per game.

Considering the fact that Mobley is in the prime of his career, it’s that surprising few teams are even considering signing him.

And unfortunately for Mobley, one of those teams interested in signing him is the Clippers.

Vincent Lim resides in sunny Southern California and was formerly a sports writer for UCLA's Daily Bruin, the third largest circulating daily newspaper in Los Angeles.