Mission: Impossible starring Mike Dunleavy Sr.
There are a lot of things I thought wouldn't happen. They were basically impossible. I didn't think you'd be able to find a GM worse than Elgin Baylor. I didn't think anyone would trade for Zach Randolph. I didn't think the Clippers had anywhere to go but up after last year's injury plagued season.
Then came Mike Dunleavy Sr's foray into being the lone wolf of the Clippers front office.
Mike Dunleavy the coach is controlling. He has his set expectations and doesn't like freestyling or improvisation. He has his plays and wants you to play his way. He couldn't handle Corey Maggette's free-wheeling style. So what does he do?
First, he gives a banged up, aging Baron Davis a max deal. There are few point guards who would be a worse fit with Dunleavy than the head-strong, do as he pleases Davis. Of course, it hasn't taken long for this to rear its obvious head; Dunleavy and Davis are already clashing about their mismatched style.
Even worse, the guy that Dunleavy let go to get Baron was Elton Brand. Brand is almost the prototypical Dunleavy Sr. player: high hoops IQ, schooled in how to play system basketball, does what is asked of him, doesn't break plays, etc.
While those two moves looked like bad ideas (but could pan out), the latest venture by Senor Senior is combining the worst of those two moves. Zach Randolph is overpaid and is one of the most ridiculous players in the NBA. He's good for at least one jaw droppingly stupid play a month and is a power forward who somehow finds the time to dribble around to much and launch ill-advised threes. Even worse, Zach is leaving a team that actually let him bomb away and now has to somehow reel it back in to play with the overbearing Dunleavy Sr.. The odds of Z-Bo fitting in an LA are terrible. There are better odds of an actual bloody coup led by Z-Bo and his hoops fan entourage than Randolph playing to Dunleavy's system.
So while Elgin Baylor had his signature "Team full of potential that remains on fulfilled until the players go to another team", Mike Dunleavy now has a team that seems destined to be an utter disaster. The only thing left now is to deal Chris Kaman and filler to Chicago for Larry Hughes, Ben Gordon, and Ty Thomas to fullfill his plot to give himself a roster than is the worst possible fit for his own coaching style. (Or he could finally make a trade for his son, which he's been angling to do for years)
The old announcement of "The King is dead. Long Live the King!" always seemed odd but it fits perfectly with the Clippers. Los Angeles managed to remove the long standing leader of the bad GM brigade and replaced him with a man who fit the crown and shit all over the throne.
Save 'em a seat in Secaucus. The Clippers are once again lotto bound for years to come.
