How's That Trade Working Out For You?

Clipper's Head Coach Vinny Del Negro/AP Images

The Los Angeles Clippers are struggling recently, and head coach Vinny Del Negro’s job is now on the line.  


By Braedan Ritter


The Clips are still in second place in the Pacific division and fourth in the West, which for the Clippers sounds like an amazing season. But that isn’t the case anymore. After being a sub-500 team for 17 of the last 18 years, the Clippers are expected to win instantly.


They were doing that in the beginning of the season, winning, 15 of their first 22. But now things have changed; They’ve won just four of their last ten, including losses to the Hornets, Suns and Warriors.


The problems have been directed at head coach Vinny Del Negro. Del Negro is still a young coach, and one that has many weaknesses; mainly his late-game decision making. He started off with the Bulls in 2008-2009, going 41-41 in both his seasons there, with a young Derrick Rose. But the Bulls got rid of Del Negro, and received a major upgrade with Tom Thibodeau and his defensive scheme. In Thibodeau’s first year, the Bulls won an NBA best 62 games.


Del Negro signed with the Clippers that same off-season and went 32-50 in his first season in Los Angeles. That losing record was alright at that time, because the Clippers were a perpetual bottom feeder, using the excitement of Blake Griffin to sell tickets. But things have drastically changed this season, thanks to the Chris Paul trade.


In a recent post on ESPN LA, Kevin Arnovitz explains the problem with the Clippers: “[T]here's a profound disparity between the goals of the Clippers pre- and post-Chris Paul. Getting a young team to the playoffs is no longer the job description for "Clippers coach," and expectations for the Clippers have accelerated at a pace too fast for Del Negro, whose coaching experience is still comparatively thin when you look around the league at teams that call themselves contenders.”


Del Negro was brought into a drastically different situation than he finds himself now. The Clips have made the playoffs just four times in the last 20 years, losing in the first round three of those times. The seemingly continuous rebuilding and decimation of the “other Los Angeles team” is over. With two stars on the team, the Clippers expectations have shifted, and Del Negro isn’t the guy to help realize these new goals.


There are coaches available that can get the job done. Newly unemployed Mike D’Antoni and Nate McMillan come to mind. So does Jeff Van Gundy. And even more will be available when the off-season comes.


The question now seems to be when, not if, Del Negro will be replaced in Los Angeles. Will they let him finish out the season, or pull the plug and try to right the ship immediately?