DeAndre Jordan…where do I even start with DeAndre Jordan?

He’s a spectacular athlete, there’s no questioning that, but is he ever going to be a spectacular basketball player? Because that’s who the Clippers need him to be this year.

Jordan is 6′11″, 250 pounds and gets up and down the court like few big men in the league do. If the Clippers are to have any chance at finishing in the top 8 in the Western Conference and earning a playoff spot, they’re going to have to take advantage of an athletic roster and force an up tempo game on their opponents. We’ll hear more about that later this month when we profile Baron Davis, but that is the only way this team will have a chance to contend for a playoff spot.

So, in order to run, they’re going to need to have quality depth who can offer fresh legs and the ability to continue an up tempo attack. This is where Jordan could be a vital piece to the Clippers’ hopes this season.

Jordan has the potential to be a matchup nightmare for some of the more plodding centers in the West (Duncan, Biedrins, Okur, Ming) but he has to be able to prove that he is worthy of getting those minutes. I know he’s behind an All-Star center on the depth chart and no one here is going to make a convincing argument that Jordan should push Chris Kaman for the starter’s spot – but he should be pushing him for minutes, both to switch up the tempo and to keep Kaman fresh.

When the stats are adjusted, Jordan ranks in the top 10 in blocks and rebounds per 48 minutes played but there has been little reason to give him substantial minutes on a regular basis, as you never know which Jordan will show up. So we’ll have to see what kind of shape Jordan shows up for camp in to see whether he’s finally going to be more than an athletic big man who can’t get it together on the court.

The Clippers and Brian Cook agreed on a 2-year deal that will bring the 7th year Forward to the Clippers this season to provide three-point shooting off the bench.

Cook previously played for 3 teams, most recently the Rockets, where he saw action in just 15 games last season.

I haven’t seen the contract to know whether or not the second year is guaranteed, but it seems odd to give a guy who hasn’t played more than 60 games in a season but twice in a 7 year career a two year deal, even at the inexpensive cap number the Clippers signed him for.

When healthy, Cook has shown an ability to hit the three-point shot with some consistency, as evidenced by his nearly 40% career shooting percentage from beyond the arc. He’s not much of a rebounder even when given substantial minutes, something that might add to his value with the Clippers when he’s paired in the front court with Chris Kaman and Craig Smith, if Cook’s ability to hit the three can draw post defenders away from Kaman and Smith. But he’s not going to be able to be paired well with Blake Griffin, as Griffin will need room to move with and without the ball in his hands. All his detriments and matchup problems fade if he shows he can still be a dead-eye shooter from beyond the arc, but for a guy who’s played less than 50 games combined the past two seasons, I’m not exactly optimistic his stroke will return.

Aside from the cap-friendly aspect of Cook’s contract, this isn’t a great signing for the Clippers. I understand they have to fill out their roster and Cook is a veteran with playoff experience, but if he can’t shake off the rust that has come from not playing regular minutes the past two seasons and consistently hit the three-pointer this season, he will likely spend a lot of time in street clothes on the team’s inactive list.

While the contract value makes Cook’s addition something with increased value, especially for such a bottom-line focused team such as the Clippers, it’s not a signing that is going to inspire anyone.

The Clippers and Craig Smith agreed to a one-year deal last month that will bring the forward back for his 5th NBA season, his second with the Clippers.

This is good news for Clippers fan as the aptly-monikered “Rhino” is a fan favorite who is a solid asset who contributes a physical presence on the team’s bench and showed an ability to guard opponents’ forwards (and centers on occasion) with a physical style.

Smith averaged just under 9 points per game while backing up Marcus Camby and Drew Gooden last season.

I was surprised to see that Rhino averaged less than 4 rebounds per game in just over 16 minutes per with the Clippers last year, but that’s what the stats say. It’s a trite cliche to say that Smith “does things that don’t show up in the stat sheet” but if there is anyone on the current roster who will do those things, it’s certainly Smith.

The bottom line is that Smith is a valuable asset for the Clippers: a role player who knows his limits and has proven his ability to provide depth and muscle to a team in need of both. Smith’s value extends beyond his physical play; he is another guy who brings continuity to the team and one who can help to push rookie Blake Griffin and teach him some of the technique that have contributed to Smith’s long stay in the league.

Since it’s a slow period for NBA news, I’m going to rundown the Clippers’ roster one player at a time in a way to build up to a season preview (and in a way to get some extra posts up in this downtime).

My initial thought was to start with Eric Gordon, as his inclusion in the Team USA roster makes him the most newsworthy. But leading with any of the starting five might dampen interest in the later entries, so we’re going to start with one of the newest Clippers, G Randy Foye.

Foye is a fifth-year guard from Villanova who was selected seventh overall by Boston in the 2006 draft – but who then watched as his rights were first traded to Portland and then later to Minnesota on draft night in moves that had to be a quick wake-up call as to the business realities of the NBA.

In Minnesota, Foye increased his scoring average every year, from just over 10 points per game his rookie year to just over 13 points per game his second year to just over 16 points per his third and final year on the Timberwolves. He was traded again that summer to Washington, where he saw his minutes and scoring decline on a team that started the season with a guard heavy roster.

This summer, he was a sought after free agent who signed a two-year deal with the Clippers for a reported $8.5 million.

Foye provides an experienced combo guard off the bench for the Clippers, someone who has the ability to bring the ball up the floor to spell Baron Davis at the point and who has the size and shooting skill needed to give Eric Gordon relief at the two guard spot. His career shooting percentage is a respectable 41.9% and he has proven that he has the ability to get to the rim and finish or draw a foul and get to the line.

Foye’s presence on the roster means the team will not have to pin their back up PG hopes on rookie Eric Bledsoe nor their back up combo guard on rookie Willie Warren, good things as those guys adjust to the pro game and find their niche this season.

The signing of Foye barely raised eyebrows in the national media, let alone here in Clipperland, but the Neil Olshey and the front office have shown that they have a plan for this team and signing a proven guy who can provide offense off the bench to a cap-friendly contract is a good move towards providing some stability on a roster that has been devoid of stability of late.

Chris Paul has apparently got caught up in the love-fest that is the NBA these days and has begun telling those close to him that he would like to be traded from the New Orleans Hornets, who have showed no ability of late to win with a guy who is thought to be the one of the best – if not the best – point guard in the NBA and who have compounded that lack of winning with a roster devoid of talent necessary to allow a point guard to succeed.

The team and the embattled guard met yesterday and both sides put on a nice public face after the meeting, but Paul still wants to be in a place where he can win and the team realizes that they no extra incentive to move him without getting a blockbuster deal in return.

As far as the Clippers are concerned, it’s a nice dream to think of the aging and often languid Baron Davis being replaced by the megastar that is CP3, ready to fit right in with the team’s young core while providing some of the savvy he’s picked up in just 5 seasons (he was also a key member of the gold medal winning 2008 Olympic team).

But the reality is that, short of sending the entire rookie class out to New Orleans AND Chris Kaman, the Clippers don’t have the pieces necessary to get a trade done. And, perhaps more importantly, they don’t appear to have the want to get a deal done, choosing instead to let the team start the season as currently constructed.

It says here that the lack of interest in Paul on the Clippers’ part is a good thing, something that means we here in Clipperland can rest assured that Neil Olshey and company have a plan that is deserving of our confidence.

But it sure would be nice to have Paul running up and down the floor, finding Blake Griffin on a break…

**As I mentioned on my Twitter feed last night, the Clippers have reached an agreement with undrafted rookie Marqus Blakely, a SF/PF from Vermont. Here’s what I said about Blakely’s pro prospects after his pre-draft workout.

Vacation’s over, so I’ll be back in front of the computer a lot more regularly from here out. Thanks to those who keep checking the site, please continue to do so and your clicks will be rewarded with Clipper news, my opinions and who knows what else. Also, please follow me on Twitter for short thoughts on NBA happenings and when I share random articles/news you might like.

Let’s get caught up, quickly.

– Rasual Butler and Craig Smith both re-upped with the Clippers for one-year deals. Good pieces for this incarnation of the Clippers and both add to the continuity the team is going for as it tries to figure out what it has in the four rookies (Griffin, Aminu, Bledsoe and Warren) and how they mesh with new coach Vinny Del Negro’s style.

– The signing of Butler means the team won’t be signing Tracy McGrady, who worked out for the team last week. All signs point to McGrady joining the Bulls if he can show in tomorrow’s workout that he is healthy and willing to come off the bench for a talented Chicago team. This is probably a good thing for the Clips, as it will free up time for Aminu and allowed Butler to stay with the team.

-Eric Gordon just wrapped up his tryout for the Team USA that will compete in the FIBA Championships later this summer in Turkey. Though Gordon did draw praise from Team USA Chairman Jerry Colangelo for his play this weekend in Las Vegas, Gordon is thought to be a long-shot to make the team ahead of guys like Chauncey Billups, Rajon Rando, Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook, Stephen Curry and OJ Mayo. Obviously I’m hoping he makes the traveling team but I’m also hoping that the time spent working with those guys will have a carry over to his play for the Clippers this fall.

– One Clipper who definitely won’t be headed to Turkey to compete is center Chris Kaman, a member of the German national team. Kaman has decided to sit this one out after his close friend Dirk Nowitzki opted to pass on the games.

– Baron Davis has completed the paperwork to change his jersey number from 1 to 5.

The Clippers made another quality addition to their coaching staff, announcing the hiring of Marc Iavaroni as an assistant to new Head Coach Vinny Del Negro.

Iavaroni is best known for his stint as the Memphis Grizzlies, where he went 33-90 before being fired midway through his second season. Prior to his time in Memphis, Iavaroni had developed a reputation as being a solid assistant coach, most notably in Phoenix, where he helped Mike D’Antoni with the “Seven Seconds or Less” approach that was (and still is) wildly successful in his time in Phoenix.

Iavaroni’s hiring is a fantastic step for the Clippers, who have now added three high-quality coaches to Del Negro’s staff. Iavaroni is largely credited with helping Amare Stoudemire develop into an elite power forward in Phoenix.

Prior to Phoenix, Iavaroni worked in Miami under Pat Riley and in Cleveland under Mike Fratello. He also worked as an assistant on Mike Krzyzewski’s staff for the 2006 FIBA World Championships and spent time as an instructor at Pete Newell’s famed Big Man Camp.

Iavaroni joins Dave Severns and Dean Demopoulos on Del Negro’s staff, which is expected to add one more name by the time training camp opens. Severns came with Del Negro from Chicago and Demopoulos was hired after his contract was not renewed in Portland, where he had previously been Nate McMillan’s lead assistant.

Rather than the working vacation I’d hoped would put me in Las Vegas covering the Clippers in Summer League, I’m doing some work around the house, surfing and enjoying the fact that the June Gloom has finally burned off, so this is gong to be a short update on what the Clippers have done and are planning to do.

First of all, I’ve watched both Summer League games and there are some positives and some negatives to take away from the Clippers’ 0-2 start.

Positives:
– Al-Farouq Aminu is an athletic wing who will be able to keep pace in the Clippers’ up-tempo offense. He may not need to start the season at the three for the Clippers (more on that later), but he will be ready to learn on the job if need be. A fluid athlete who is very active on the boards.

– Eric Bledsoe is, just as I predicted, a guy who is a little raw but has enormous upside to his game. He has displayed a good stroke and a keen eye for distributing the ball to his teammates so they’re ready to finish the play. They haven’t always finished the play but he’ll be passing to superior talent come October.

- Sofoklis Schortsanitis – “Baby Shaq” has been changed to “Summer Shaq” as the Greek center has shown up in relatively good shape (he’s never going to be confused for Blake Griffin) and has been active in limited minutes. All reports say he may be headed back to Europe if the Clippers don’t offer him a better-than-minimum contract, but I hope he stays and sees how he can do in training camp.

Negatives:
- DeAndre Jordan – I have high hopes for the third-year center, thinking that this might be the year he finally puts his incredible talent to use and becomes a guy the Clippers can turn to to spell Chris Kaman when they want to go up-tempo or when the All-Star needs a breath. So far, his performance has been very disappointing. Not just the numbers (18 points, 9 rebounds in 55 minutes over two games) but in the way he is out there against rookies, free agents and guys hoping to make enough of a mark to get an invite to a team’s camp. Jordan should be dominating these guys and he looks far from dominant. The delusional optimism that is conditioned in me as a Clippers fan hopes that it’s merely because the big man’s game needs some structure to be effective and Summer League isn’t a structured place, but I’m left with a big question mark on Jordan, who I thought was going to be a real asset for the team this year.

The team plans to bring in Tracy McGrady for a workout next week.
I was just talking to some of my friends who are Warriors fans, saying that McGrady might be a nice addition to the W’s roster that currently has a hole at the small forward position. McGrady is but a shell of his former self but looked rejuvenated last season after being traded to the Knicks, where his talent meshed with the up-tempo style the team plays. If they can get him in on a contract that makes fiscal sense, he may be a good bridge to the future of Clipperland, where young talent is stockpiled and built upon ala the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Alright, that’s all for now, thanks for checking in.

We all know the free agent bonanza didn’t work out like we here in Clipperland were hoping, with LBJ/Wade/Bosh building a three-headed monster in South Beach, Carlos Boozer joining the Bulls and the Warriors acquiring David Lee in a trade.

But the Clippers were active today, signing Randy Foye and Ryan Gomes, most recently from the Wizards and Timberwolves, respectively.

From USA Today:

The deals were announced Thursday night, shortly after LeBron James said he was leaving Cleveland for the Miami Heat. The Clippers were among the teams that made a pitch to James.

Foye, who has played for four season, averaged 10.1 points, 3.3 assists and 1.9 rebounds in 70 games for the Washington Wizards last season.

Gomes, who has played for five seasons, averaged 10.9 points and 4.6 rebounds in 76 games for Minnesota last season. He was traded by Minnesota to Portland on draft day last month, and was waived by the Trail Blazers on June 29.

Terms of the deals weren’t announced.

Not exactly the thrilling moves we were hoping for in free agency but I’m reserving judgement until the weekend.

Twitter is taking a break from keeping tabs on the LeBron James saga long enough to report that the Clippers are set to name Vinny Del Negro as their next head coach.

Del Negro was most recently the head coach of the Chicago Bulls, where his most noteworthy accomplishment seemed to be getting in a well-publicized shoving match with the team’s GM, John Paxson.

A more honest account of Del Negro’s tenure in Chicago would mention the development of Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson, but I’m not really in the mood to jump on the Del Negro bandwagon just yet.

Del Negro was competing against Dwayne Casey for the Clippers’ job and I would have much rather Casey been named the team’s coach, as he has much more experience as an assistant coach and is widely regarded to be a superior tactical mind.

The fact that Del Negro is leaving a dysfunctional situation that was at least partially due to his behavior does not afford me the optimism of thinking that the Clippers have made a wise decision in naming him the team’s latest coach.