The Los Angeles (insert NBA team name here) of Anaheim?

The Lakers played an exhibition game at Anaheim's Honda Center on Tuesday night, as they usually do once each season, giving fans a bit further south their yearly glimpse of NBA basketball in their home territory. It wasn't all that long ago that the Clippers played a handful of games in Orange County from 1994-1999 (at the then-named Arrowhead Pond) and seriously considered moving there permanently before deciding to become the Lakers' co-tenants at Staples Center.

Now, after Tuesday's pre-season contest between the Lakers and the Jazz, one Anaheim official told the Orange County Register that he wouldn't be surprised if the city gets an NBA team within the next 5 years.

If that team isn't the Clippers, it seems a bit much to have 2 Los Angeles teams, then an Anaheim team down the road, don't you think? The Clippers barely make a pull in the LA market, competing with the Lakers, and plenty of Orange County fans are already plenty devoted to the Lakers.

After seeing the Angels change their name to consider themselves a part of the LA market, it seems clear that the two cities are too close to each other to sustain 3 NBA teams between them.

Two suggestions:

1) Make that team the Clippers. They've got to be sick of playing red-headed step-child to the Lakers not only in the city of Los Angeles, but playing there in the same building as them all season long. Make a clean break, give Orange County fans something to be excited about close to home, and don't clog the already congested market.

2) Why not bring a team to San Diego? It's far enough from the LA market (Padres do fine, away from the Angels and Dodgers) to sustain its own fan base, and you've got enough LA hatred to form a fan base in SD alone.

Now, what team is moving next? Oklahoma City just got the doomed Sonics from Seattle, but who else is on the list of teams ready to move out of their market?

I don't see the NBA expanding yet again. At 30 teams, it's at its current limit, in my opinion.

So, again, who's next? Personally, no team seems to be in that much turmoil to move out, but then again, five years is a long time for something to happen. Cities like Memphis, Charlotte, Toronto, Oklahoma City, and New Orleans, would be my guesses for places that may not be able to keep their teams. Any other thoughts?

So much for that

I don't quite understand what went down, but despite my excitement several weeks back about the Clippers signing Jason Williams, the guard has called it quits.

Thats right, after signing with the Clippers in August, Jason Williams, called "Clippers guard," despite never donning the red, white, and blue, has retired.

How and why does that happen?

Williams signed on August 7. I'm pretty sure he never started training with the team, but he decided to call it quits.

I was always a J-Will fan, ever since rumors back in the day of a deal with the Sacramento Kings that would have brought him to the Lakers. I'm talking like 1999.

He was always a fantastic passer and a great shooter, and as my post back in August indicates, I was excited to see him bring some of that flash to the Clippers.

Oh well, Baron Davis as the only point guard will have to do for the new look Clippers.

Next time, just retire first, Jason, don't get our hopes up.

Shaping the Clippers

Who thought that my second post would be about the NBA's perennial cellar dwellars?

Well, quietly, they've put together quite an interesting roster. It has happened quietly because many would argue that their acquisitions are way past their prime.

The problem? They lost their two best players in Elton Brand and Corey Maggette. However, they've replaced the two stars with not two but four veteran leaders.

Baron Davis will clearly be Clipperville's new superstar, and we would have all loved to see the Clippers become a contender behind Davis and Brand. But, Brand bolted to Philly, fed up with the organization, and really, who can blame him?

Then, though, the Clippers acquired Camby in a Denver salary dump which suddenly replaced the gaping hole down low and gave LA a formidable Camby-Kaman front line.

Then, the two most recent pick-ups add to the intrigue. First, the Clips grabbed veteran Ricky Davis from the Miami Heat, bringing a slasher and scoring threat to the lineup. Davis averages over 14 ppg for his career, and there's no reason why he can't get that playing on the wing alongside Baron in LA. Watching his numbers carefully as a fantasy player, Ricky is one of the most underrated players in the league, in my opinion.

Finally, on Thursday, the Clippers nabbed veteran Jason Williams also from the Heat. I've always liked Williams, as he brings energy and enthusiasm to the court, albeit with a bit of a wild streak. Backing up Baron Davis, though, Williams could bring in a nice spark off the bench, or play point guard to Baron's shooting guard in a smaller lineup.

Add this to the young nucleus of Kaman and Al Thornton, as well as veteran Clippers Cuttino Mobley and Tim Thomas, and the team doesn't sound so bad.

The Clippers always manage to screw it up, though, and there's no question that with so many newcomers on board, chemistry will be an issue. Either way, I'm looking forward to the Davis-Davis backcourt combo as well as the Kaman-Camby twin tower duo down low. It'll be fun to watch.