Los Angeles Clippers: Doc Rivers The GM Redeeming Himself

An oft-repeated media story line last season was that “Doc the GM is making life difficult for Doc the coach.” After taking over general manager duties with the Los Angeles Clippers, Doc Rivers was criticized for a few of his personnel moves, most notably his penchant for acquiring former Boston Celtics players or players that performed well against his Celtics teams.

Their season started off inconsistently, but they began to find their groove as they headed into the playoffs. However, it was once again their lack of bench depth that hurt them as they gave up a 3-1 lead in the second round series against the Houston Rockets.

ALSO ON HOOPSHABIT: NBA Finals History: Ranking The Last 50 Champions

Doc the GM was once again made a mockery of, and there were many that wondered if it was a mistake for Doc to have so many roles within the organization.

But, judging from the moves they made during the offseason, it seems as though Doc is out to redeem himself. He recognized the team’s lack of depth and immediately set about fixing it.

The first move he made happened before the playoffs were even concluded. The Clippers acquired Lance Stephenson from the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Matt Barnes and Spencer Hawes. Stephenson, despite his antics, is still a talented two-guard that will add depth to the Clippers’ guard rotation.

At $9 million, Stephenson is a steal and the Clippers will have a team option next season, which is simply a win-win for the team: if Stephenson does well, the Clippers will keep him for $9 million (a bargain considering what some of the guards are earning nowadays) and if he strikes out in L.A., the Clippers have no long-term commitment with him.

Getting rid of Hawes was a masterstroke from Doc. Initially, Hawes’ fit on paper with the Clippers was perfect. He was a floor-spacing big that could work in tandem with DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin – two big men with little to no range. However, his shot deserted him and eventually fell out of the rotation.

Shooting 31.3 percent from behind the arc last season, there was little use for a floor-spacing big man who can’t shoot, defend or rebound (3.5 rebounds per game). Losing Barnes could be seen as hurting the Clippers’ defense, but his on-court temper and constant fines irked Doc the GM, who was reportedly looking to deal him for about two years.

The next move the Clippers made was to sign Paul Pierce. While many made fun of Rivers for signing players he was formerly affiliated with, the Pierce signing was a great one. At three years for $10 million, Pierce’s contributions will be well worth the money the Clippers are paying him.

He proved last season that he could still knock down big shots, knocking down a game-winner in Game 3 of the second-round series against the Atlanta Hawks, and having another waved off in Game 6. Toronto Raptors’ fans will be glad to see Pierce change conferences, and Doc will be equally as glad to be able to work with Pierce again.

The biggest move the Clippers made during the offseason didn’t have much to do with Doc the GM. By now, everyone and their mother knows of the DeAndre Jordan re-signing and the details of the deal. While it was a huge coup for the Clippers to be able to retain their star center, it was largely Jordan’s decision rather than a testament to Doc’s ability as a GM.

The Clippers rounded off their bench with signing Cole Aldrich, Josh Smith, and Wesley Johnson. All three are significant upgrades over the bench they had last season. Smith, in particular, will be a key player for the Clippers. Despite all the jokes about his poor shooting choices, Smith was important for the Rockets last season as a backup big.

He provides defense and is an underrated passer. With him, the Clippers can experiment with several lineups, either going big with him at the small forward spot, or small with him playing the center.

While most of the attention so far during the offseason has been on the San Antonio Spurs and their acquisitions, the Clippers have had a quietly successful offseason as well. Doc the GM is on a quest for redemption, and it might end with Doc the Coach finding redemption as well.

Next: The 30 Best Small Forwards of All-Time

More from Hoops Habit

• The 5 most dominant NBA players who never won a championship
• 7 Players the Miami Heat might replace Herro with by the trade deadline
• Meet Cooper Flagg: The best American prospect since LeBron James
• Are the Miami Heat laying the groundwork for their next super team?
• Sophomore Jump: 5 second-year NBA players bound to breakout