Los Angeles Clippers Tickets - Setting Sail Toward A Bright Future?

For as long as one can remember, the Clippers have been regulars in the lottery

. The organization peaked in the heart of the Elton Brand era but is far removed from that team at this point. The Clippers are set to enter a new era now, though, one that shows a lot of promise. Could it be time for the Clippers to alter their identity from lottery regulars to postseason regulars?

When the Clips landed the number one pick in the 2009 draft and used it to select Oklahoma standout Blake Griffin, many viewed it as a potential turning point for the franchise. Griffin was utterly dominant in the collegiate ranks and seemed poised for an exciting rookie season. But bad luck would again strike the Clippers, as an injury to his kneecap forced Griffin to miss the entire 2009-10 campaign. However, with a healthy Griffin and a couple new promising youngsters, the Clippers could be a threat to reach the postseason in 2010-11 and should continue to grow moving forward.

Griffin will join a starting lineup that includes Baron Davis, Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman and presumably Ryan Gomes. That well-rounded starting five is a good step in contending for the playoffs this season. Griffin should bring energy to the team that they didn't have last season. Some of the hype surrounding the power forward has faded, but only because his dominance at OU has faded from our minds.

Remember, this is a guy that brought it every night and averaged 14 rebounds per game in college. He's got some development ahead of him offensively, but the foundation for a perennial All-Star is there. Kaman is coming off his best season as a pro, and we all know what Baron Davis can do when motivated. Gordon is a promising youngster with almost unlimited range on his jumper. Gomes should be a solid role player at the three, as he's one of the more underrated players in the entire NBA.

The Clippers also have a solid mix of youngsters and veterans that figure to be significant contributors off the bench, this season and moving forward. Rookie Eric Bledsoe is seen as the point guard of the future and will benefit greatly from the tutelage of Davis. He's sure to experience his ups and downs while learning on the fly this season, but the team also has Randy Foye, an offseason acquisition capable of playing both guard positions. Foye was a top 10 pick just four years ago and could end up being a late bloomer with the right mentoring. Rasual Butler is a solid veteran shooter that should stretch the floor well for the Clips, while big men like Craig Smith and Brain Skinner will be seen as enforcers down low.

The Clippers also have two intriguing young projects in center DeAndre Jordan and small forward Al-Farouq Aminu. Jordan has shown signs of dominance down low, but is still developing an offensive game and learning to keep himself out of foul trouble. He has plenty of time to learn while playing behind Kaman, but could show himself to be a future starter with increased minutes this season.

As for Aminu, this rookie just oozes potential. He's got great length and athleticism, but needs to work on his skills. If he can harness his handle and develop a more reliable jumper, he could be a star player. It might take a while for these things to come together, but Aminu is in a position to develop slowly. Still, fans can expect to see some plays out of him this season that hint at his ability to sell tons of Los Angeles Clippers tickets in the future.

The Clippers should be in the mix for the postseason in 2010-11, even in the ultracompetitive Western Conference. If Griffin can stay healthy throughout the season and assimilate into the NBA quickly, this could be a tough group for other fringe playoff teams to compete with. Equipped with a bevy of young players, the Clippers should only get better with time and could be in store for big things down the road.

by: Pat Smith

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