# Clippers are now locked onto Mobley



## Weasel (Oct 18, 2003)

http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/clippers/la-sp-clippers9jul09,1,3925692.story?coll=la-headlines-sports-nba-clippe 



> They are expected to intensify their efforts to sign Cuttino Mobley, the most coveted of the unrestricted free-agent shooting guards still available after Larry Hughes reportedly agreed Friday to sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers.


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## yamaneko (Jan 1, 2003)

wonder how picky mobley is with where he goes. Clippers of course are the best destination location wise, existing talent wise, when you compare it to atlanta, charlotte, etc., but if one of those teams offer him an overpayment such as 9 million+ i wonder if he takes it just for the money. I dont see the clippers offering him much more than 7 million, if they offer him at all. He just does not seem like dunleavvy material to me. 

I just hope korolev comes over here immediately.


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## qross1fan (Dec 28, 2004)

man forget Mobley we lost Simmons going after allen with everything . . sign Jaric before anything


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## Miamiballer2k5 (Jun 29, 2005)

Cuttino Mobley will be able to get 8-9 million from the Nuggets who are his number one choice so if you guys do sign him it will pry be at the same amount of pay Simmons got from the Bucks except Mobley will be 31 when the season starts and is on the downswing of his career.


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## RD (Jun 10, 2002)

The Nuggets dont have that much money.

All they can offer is the MLE without a sign and trade.


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## Weasel (Oct 18, 2003)

If the Clippers are serious about Mobley they better not over pay him. If they do over pay they might have as well tried to over pay Simmons.


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## arenas809 (Feb 13, 2003)

2 words, Washington Wizards.


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## RD (Jun 10, 2002)

I think we were locked in on Mobley before Bobby left. There wer some comments that we wanted Bobby back in the 6th man role. That wouldve meant we were going to sign someone to bump him there. 

All things equal, I think Mobley is a better player for this team. He handles the rock better, scores in more ways, and is a better perimeter defender. If we landed him, the team actually has a shooting guard and small forward, instead of two small forwards.

I dont think he's going to get the same money Bobby did. Bobby had his old team bidding against the Bucks, so it drove his price up a bit. Bobby also is only 25, while Mobley is on the wrong side of 30. The age is the biggest factor IMO.

I think we could land Mobley for 8mill per. If we can, Id be all for it.


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## qross1fan (Dec 28, 2004)

*nothing* is official yet . . . Clippers have 13 more days to try and get Simmons back, how do you know dunleavy and baylor aren't talking to him? how do u know they're not trying to offer Allen more then the Sonics . . . Sonics offered 5 years instead of o6 so it's pretty much the same offer same with Hughes, for all you know there agents are trying to make themselves look good, or try to get them more money . . . if we have to pay Simmons 9 mil + let him walk, we need a 2guard now not another sf and if we have to trade maggs to keep simmons who'll get 3 mil more then Corey, forget it. 
what i'm saying for short is Hughes isn't officially a Cav, Allen hasn't returned 100% and Simmons isn't 100% a Buck until they sign on the dotted line which they can't for another 12 Days, 7 Hours, and 5 minutes that is enough time to make someone change there mind


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## Damian Necronamous (Jun 10, 2002)

Miamiballer2k5 said:


> Cuttino Mobley will be able to get 8-9 million from the Nuggets who are his number one choice so if you guys do sign him it will pry be at the same amount of pay Simmons got from the Bucks except Mobley will be 31 when the season starts and is on the downswing of his career.


Uhhh...no he won't. The most the Nuggets can offer is the MLE because they are only $3M under the cap. If Cuttino doesn't want to return to the Kings (who might not want him back, with Kevin Martin and Francisco Garcia), his best option is probably the Clippers.

Don't rule out some sort of S&T deal with Denver, though, with the Kings getting back Najera and a draft pick or possibly Najera and Lenard.


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## arenas809 (Feb 13, 2003)

qrich1fan said:


> *nothing* is official yet . . . Clippers have 13 more days to try and get Simmons back, how do you know dunleavy and baylor aren't talking to him?


Dude please wake the hell up.


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## qross1fan (Dec 28, 2004)

RD said:


> I think we were locked in on Mobley before Bobby left. There wer some comments that we wanted Bobby back in the 6th man role. That wouldve meant we were going to sign someone to bump him there.
> 
> All things equal, I think Mobley is a better player for this team. He handles the rock better, scores in more ways, and is a better perimeter defender. If we landed him, the team actually has a shooting guard and small forward, instead of two small forwards.
> 
> ...


i'm all for inking mobley, just as long as he doesn't complain or want a trade. Mobley and Maggette is better then Maggette and Simmons because both Maggette and Simmons are smallforwards, neither handle the ball well, and if you just have one person who can bring the ball up on a team, then that calls for trouble . . right now we ink jaric AND mobley, bring in a outside threat(Korver maybe, if not then call Yaro over, or even ink Damon Jones) and you'll have a nice pg rotaton in Jaric/Livvy depth @ the sg/sf position and brand/kaman/wilcox/rebraca(or sofo) up front
Losing Simmons hurts, but adding Mobley will be better even if he demands the same salary, then we can rip off the nuggets by trading him there for alot :angel:


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## qross1fan (Dec 28, 2004)

arenas809 said:


> Dude please wake the hell up.


dude read the whole thing, i even said i'd be ok if we let Simmons walk for that much, hell i'd be glad, 9.5 mil for a 6th man is WHACK, sorry but i don't want to be the next Knicks paying soon to be 20 mil for people who don't play


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## PAIDNFULL23 (Jul 9, 2005)

qrich1fan said:


> *nothing* is official yet . . . Clippers have 13 more days to try and get Simmons back, how do you know dunleavy and baylor aren't talking to him? how do u know they're not trying to offer Allen more then the Sonics . . . Sonics offered 5 years instead of o6 so it's pretty much the same offer same with Hughes, for all you know there agents are trying to make themselves look good, or try to get them more money . . . if we have to pay Simmons 9 mil + let him walk, we need a 2guard now not another sf and if we have to trade maggs to keep simmons who'll get 3 mil more then Corey, forget it.
> what i'm saying for short is Hughes isn't officially a Cav, Allen hasn't returned 100% and Simmons isn't 100% a Buck until they sign on the dotted line which they can't for another 12 Days, 7 Hours, and 5 minutes that is enough time to make someone change there mind


Man, get over it, they aren't gone sign with the Clips, when is the last time someone changed their mind after agreeing to sign, and Boozer doesn't count b/c that was a totally different situation.


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## Mecca (Jul 3, 2005)

qrich1fan said:


> *nothing* is official yet . . . Clippers have 13 more days to try and get Simmons back, how do you know dunleavy and baylor aren't talking to him?


You're in serious denial, man.


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## NOBLE (Apr 10, 2005)

What is so special about Mobley that catches FO eye?


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## Weasel (Oct 18, 2003)

NOBLE said:


> What is so special about Mobley that catches FO eye?



Throughout his career he has put up consistent numbers. I like to see him as a confident players who believes in himself. In his career he has 17.1 ppg, last year he had 17.2 ppg, shot 44% from 3 and in total.


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## Miamiballer2k5 (Jun 29, 2005)

Geez some of you are in denial. Once a team and a player agree in principal it is NEVER broken. Agents have there reputations on the line and backing out of deals would effect the agents other players. It is something that never happens. (Boozer thing was different). Also I read in an article that the Nuggets can sign Mobley to a 8 million dollar deal. So maybe it was talking about a sign and trade.


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## RD (Jun 10, 2002)

NOBLE said:


> What is so special about Mobley that catches FO eye?


On that same token, what's so special about Bobby Simmons to deserve a contract that averages 9.4mill per?

In comparison, Mobley is the better athlete, is quicker, is a better ball handler, can score off the dribble, is every bit the deep shooter, and is a better on ball defender.

He's better for us than Simmons is. The only deal is, they have to sign him. And thats going to be a task.


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## Weasel (Oct 18, 2003)

RD said:


> On that same token, what's so special about Bobby Simmons to deserve a contract that averages 9.4mill per?
> 
> In comparison, Mobley is the better athlete, is quicker, is a better ball handler, can score off the dribble, is every bit the deep shooter, and is a better on ball defender.
> 
> He's better for us than Simmons is. The only deal is, they have to sign him. And thats going to be a task.



This is true, it will be hard to bid for him but he has expressed interest that he would like to be a Clipper.


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## HKF (Dec 10, 2002)

Is anyone actually confident that Cuttino Mobley will sign with the Clippers? I mean really think the Clippers can get him in red/white and blue? 

I say he doesn't come here, even if no other teams have cap room besides the Clippers.


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## Weasel (Oct 18, 2003)

HKF said:


> Is anyone actually confident that Cuttino Mobley will sign with the Clippers? I mean really think the Clippers can get him in red/white and blue?
> 
> I say he doesn't come here, even if no other teams have cap room besides the Clippers.



I am not confident but Mobley or his agent said that the Clippers are 1 of a few teams he would like.


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## Darth Bryant (Feb 1, 2005)

RD said:


> On that same token, what's so special about Bobby Simmons to deserve a contract that averages 9.4mill per?
> 
> In comparison, Mobley is the better athlete, is quicker, is a better ball handler, can score off the dribble, is every bit the deep shooter, and is a better on ball defender.
> 
> He's better for us than Simmons is. The only deal is, they have to sign him. And thats going to be a task.


It's called potential. Any player with potential is a risk. But we already know that Mobley is as good as he is ever going to be. Bobby might have had one good season sure… But it's going to be painful if he only gets better.. Especially since he is as young as he is… Were with Mobley you have a 30 years old on the down slope of his prime. By the Clippers like them old.. Clippers might as well move the team down to Palm springs.. Since most people coming here are a few seasons away from retirement.


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## RD (Jun 10, 2002)

Potential does not simply come because of age.

I dont see the upside in Simmons.

For him to become better, he's going to have to magically grow two inches, become much more athletic, and learn how to handle the basketball.

At 25, you're not growing and getting more athletic. And after 4 years in the NBA, and 20 years of playing ball total, I dont think he's all of a sudden going to become a good ball handler.


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## Darth Bryant (Feb 1, 2005)

RD said:


> Potential does not simply come because of age.
> 
> I dont see the upside in Simmons.
> 
> ...


But at 24 you are? Were talking one year after the NBDL and it was a drastic improvement. Many players dont start developing the right mindset until the mid-twenties. 

When your 30 every year is only one step down. But, hell we shelled out all that money for Kittles, might as well do it with Mobley too...


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## Weasel (Oct 18, 2003)

Mobley Is Target for the Clippers 



> Their focus now is on landing free-agent guard Cuttino Mobley, who would meet their need for a long-distance shooting threat and whose addition would ease the sting of losing Simmons, their third-leading scorer last season.





> Mobley, who made $5.9 million last season, might also require a lesser financial commitment than Simmons, whose open-market value was higher than the Clippers had imagined. But he might cost them a player if he comes to them as part of a sign-and-trade deal with the Sacramento Kings.





> If they'd met Simmons' demands, they probably would have been out of the running for any of the better shooting guards, based on the club's available cap space of about $16 million. Simmons' defection may mean they'll have little choice but to accede to Mobley's contract demands and could mean that the chances are greater that they'll retain point guard Marko Jaric, a restricted free agent.


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## Free Arsenal (Nov 8, 2004)

I never thought I'd say this but.... please join the Clippers Mobley.


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## RD (Jun 10, 2002)

CDRacingZX6R said:


> But at 24 you are? Were talking one year after the NBDL and it was a drastic improvement. Many players dont start developing the right mindset until the mid-twenties.


Huh?

Bobby isnt any more athletic, any bigger, or any better a ball handler in the past year.

The one, and only area Bobby has improved on, was his jump shooting. He improved drastically in that area. But, thats somethig you can improveo n with work. He's not going to get taller by hanging himself upside down. Ball handling IMO is something that is developed early on in your basketball career. Before playing pro ball. You can refine it with work, but I dont think you go from poor ball handler to good ball handler once you've reached the highest level. Its something you develop over your early years and continue to improve on while you get accustomed to the game and your body. Now that Bobby's in the league and has been for a few years, I dont see how he's going to improve his ball handling to a level where it will give him an extra edge on the court.

Bobby has improved, and I think he can continue to improve a bit in some areas. But I dont think he's going to all of a sudden become a great ball handler, wich limits what he can do on the court. And that limits his upside IMO.


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## Showtime87 (Jun 27, 2005)

RD said:


> I think we were locked in on Mobley before Bobby left. There wer some comments that we wanted Bobby back in the 6th man role. That wouldve meant we were going to sign someone to bump him there.
> 
> All things equal, I think Mobley is a better player for this team. He handles the rock better, scores in more ways, and is a better perimeter defender. If we landed him, the team actually has a shooting guard and small forward, instead of two small forwards.
> 
> ...


The only reasonable, stressing heavily "reasonable" excuse for letting Simmons walk and looking like utter fools is Corey Maggette and his displeasure at being moved to the SG position for which he is not ideally suited. I suppose that his unhappiness could have led the Clippers to believe that they had to choose between their franchise swingman and a young, upstart talent in Bobby Simmons. If this indeed were the case, and the Clippers braintrust truly believed that an impending problem would result if they were to pencil Simmons in at SF through 2010, then at the very least some shred of light can be seen through the murk. Personally, I have no knowldedge that this was either a very real possibility or strictly speculation. But I guess I can at least craft my own version of reality as to what exactly the thought process is and was while we watch every potential impact free agent land happily in various other NBA cities, but not even a whiff of consideration for perennial afterthought Clipps. 

In contrast to the belief that Mobley is on the "downside" of his career, or that he is simply "too old" to be a good fit for this time, I believe that he may be the ideal fit for a young, inexperienced group who is hungry for veteran leadership. Look at this way : could you name the last true contender for the gold who did not have at least two or three veterans to defer to in crucial situations? The teams that get bounced earlier on invariably tend to be the young teams who have yet to learn how to win. With the venerable Zeljko Rabraca the veteran member of last seasons group of youngsters, I would say this team is in sore need of some solid, experienced talent. 

Cuttino Mobley is a smart player. His career has proved him efficient, consistent and reliable on a game-to-game basis. Of course, being the consumate "gunner" in today's pro game he will be prone to streakiness both good and bad. But I could not find anything on his resume either personally or professionally that would lead me to believe he would be anything but a positive, impactful addition for the Clippers. Seven to eight million per will be the going rate. He's obviously not likely to land a max-year deal, so four seasons would very likely be good enough to get him here. One thing the Clippers do have in their favor could also be Coach Dunleavy. Again, I would have to disagree with the statement that he isn't the type of player Dunleavy looks for. I would wager any amount that from a coaches standpoint Mike D is starving for guys like this. Look at the type of impact that a player like Rick Brunson had on this team last season as a value signing. Intelligence and experience do not grow on NBA trees, they're hard to come by and usually don't see the light of day. With Johnson well out of reach, Mobley is the target for the Clippers. A good amount of redemption can be achieved here, hopefully the team realizes just how important this decision or lack thereof can prove to be for the foreseeable future.


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