D'Angelo Russell Discussion: Adopting A Professional Attitude

I think they're kidding.

But I do believe in the Clipper curse.

 

I will say that Balmer's ability to run Microsoft (which by all accounts he did a poor job of), are meaningless as it pertains to running a basketball team. Doc controls everything. Balmer's essentially an ATM.

 

Unfortunately, it doesn't matter what fans think of the Clippers in general. A team in the second largest market in the country will be worth more than the Seattle Windows. Everybody thinks it's a forgone conclusion they eventually go to Seattle, but I see very little chance of that happening. Had he bought the Suns or Bucks or Pelicans...then yes. But you don't spend 2 billion on a team, most of which is you paying for that zip code, then move it to a mid-market. I think there's a better chance of him moving out of Staples into their own arena and changing their name than them moving out of Los Angeles.

 

Actually so far he's gotten almost no headway on the television side as far as I know. In a market where the Lakers and Dodgers got more than a billion dollars for their television deals, he's getting a tiny fraction of that.

Whereas if he went to Seattle he'd be welcomed in as a hero, sell out every night, and have complete control of the market. Here even when the Clippers win fifty games and the Lakers are winning fifteen more people are watching Laker games. Sure this market is big enough to support both teams financially, but why settle for being the 7th biggest draw in your own market? Lakers, Dodgers, I have no doubt the Rams will surpass them year one, Angels, Dodgers, Ducks, and even USC and UCLA get more attention in this market than the Clippers do.

 

What realdeal just said. Balmer struck out BIG time in his television negotiation. Balmer balked at their offer, demanded more, then when he came crawling back to the table they offered him even less than their first pitch. That was last summer when the Clippers actually had a little more pull, too. Now with Biff punching out his equipment manager and cementing his douche status, and the Clips flaming out once again in the playoffs they look a lot worse. He's negotiating from a position of weakness at this point.

Seattle is where the Clips need to go and he should just call them the Sonics again. It would be a big win for that city, for him and for the NBA. They will always be an also ran here.

 

I think it's all about resale value. The resale value takes a massive blow if they got back to Seattle. I agree that for his players, the NBA and their fans in general, etc., Seattle makes too much sense. There wouldn't even need to be any division realignment. But for Balmer, he takes a hit.

 

Only if he can reach a certain value in this market. There's no value for the Clippers in this market. Sure the Los Angeles name means more generally, but it hasn't meant more for that franchise for whatever reason. Even now at their greatest they don't have a significant market share. If they get worse (they will) that value is going to sink even further. Once they stink again I think a team by itself in Seattle is worth more than the crappiest team in LA, but it does go to show you the difference between large and small markets.

 

But I'd hate it because I really liked the Sonics from back in the Garry Payton, Shawn Kemp days. I don't even want the Sonic name tarnished.

Just move them to Seattle and they can be the Seattle Clippers.