What do you do with a $2 billion team that's really good ... but not quite good enough?
Steve Ballmer owns the Los Angeles Clippers _ one of the most expensive also-rans in American sports history.
Ballmer's Clippers are loaded with decorated stars (Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan) in a big attractive market, led by a coach (Doc Rivers) who already has a title on his resume. And what has all that glitter gotten them at the end of the last few seasons?
A consolatory pat on the back instead of a parade.
L.A. has averaged 55 wins the last three seasons under Rivers, the former Magic coach who won a title in Boston in 2008. But the Clippers advanced past the first round just twice in that stretch and were ousted by Houston two seasons ago and Portland last season.
About 25 other teams would be thrilled to trade places with the Clippers and be labeled as underachievers. But critics point to their lack of chemistry and mental toughness, two unnerving flaws if you are stuck in the NBA's better conference at the worst possible time.
The Clippers have had to deal with a Western Conference largely ruled for years by the San Antonio Spurs and is now expected to be dominated for years by the Golden State Warriors. In between, there was a run by the Oklahoma City Thunder until Kevin Durant defected to Oakland.
The Clippers roared to a 14-2 start this season but were harshly reminded of their place in the West pecking order by the Warriors on Wednesday night.
Golden State routed L.A., 115-98, at Staples Center, the Warriors' seventh consecutive win in the regular-season series.
The worst news for the Clippers: Durant, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson all had sub-par games.
Afterward, Clippers power forward Marreese Speights _ who left Golden State to sign in L.A. _ lectured his new team.
"Guys just got to sacrifice, do some other things than scoring, do some other things than your personal goals. Just try something new," Speights said. "They've been doing it here for four or five years and it hasn't been working, so it's time to try something new."
That pretty much sums up the plight of the Clippers.
In 2014, Ballmer reportedly paid $2 billion to purchase the club after the Donald Sterling mess. The former 14-year CEO for Microsoft is worth an estimated $28 billion. He probably isn't losing sleep over the Clippers, but what does he do if nothing changes this postseason?
Ride out the Paul-Griffin-Jordan trio, hoping misfortune befalls the Warriors? Or push the reset button after what might be a now-or-never season?
"I'm a believer that teams can get stale," Rivers told ESPN last October. "After a while, you don't win. It just doesn't work. We're right at the edge."
With their three stars, the Clippers have intriguing trade chips. They'll need All-Star-caliber players in return to compete with the Warriors.
L.A.'s West targets could include: Russell Westbrook, Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins. Their East targets: Jimmy Butler, Paul George, Paul Millsap, John Wall and Hassan Whiteside.
It's time the Clippers shake it up to try something new and fresh. They aren't beating the Warriors _ or maybe even the Spurs _ this postseason.
