L.A. Clippers' Coaching Carousel Continues

Jonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesWe waited all this time for this?No offense to Vinnie Del Negro, who by all accounts was the best person available for the position, but how many months did it take to get here? Weren't there better options available earlier in the process?Why did it take so long to get to VDN?Word from Los Angeles is that the Clippers took their time. They looked under every rock, crossed t's, and dotted i's. Their search was meticulous, thorough, and exhaustive.Baloney.The truth is, the Clippers seemed to have St. Louis Rams jersey
backed into a decent hiring. Short of the coaching elite, like Phil Jackson, Gregg Popovich, Doc Rivers and the like, all other coaches fall into the same category.Del Negro seems not much better or worse than any other potential options. Sure, they could have possibly hired someone better with a more tenured, successful coaching background. They also could have gone in the opposite direction, and go with an unproven coach.The frustration stems not from the hiring, but from the process.The Clippers have a state-of-the-art practice facility. They play home games at a state-of-the-art venue in a state-of-the-art city. Everything about this team is state-of-the-art, except the way the team is run.That seems to lean more towards state-of-the-fart.Free agents love nice weather, a chance to win consistently, and the opportunity to be a "big fish." If a team can offer a player all that plus a decent payday, that team should be able to load up.Why haven't the Clippers loaded up?This free agent class is the best...well, ever.Joe Johnson, gone. Dwyane Wade, gone. Chris Bosh, gone. LeBron James, we find out Thursday.The Clippers made their pitch to the King of course, and by all accounts, it went well. With everything the Clippers have to offer, why wouldn't he choose to play Tennessee Titans jersey
for the red-white-blue? Because of the process.Forget the "Clipper Curse," the history of losing, the lack of vision, the apparent lack of leadership, the owner...forget it all. What's keeping the King, and all the Grade-A free agents from considering Los Angeles, is the process that was clearly on display as the team searched for a head coach.Clipper process (CP) is to wait, and hope things work out. It worked with Eric Bledsoe, it worked in 2006, and it might have worked well with the hiring of Vinnie Del Negro.I mean, even a blindsquirrelfinds a nut every now and again, right?The CP won't attract the one thing big enough to possibly change the atmosphere and culture of the Clippers franchise: the signing of a marquee free agent. As a matter of fact, it's that darn CP that's keeping the King away from the place where he belongs.So, Clippers fans are now left to process Vinnie Del Negro. He is a good hire who happened to fall into the Clippers' lap. He becomes the 23rd Clippers coach (24th if you count the two goes Gene Shue had at the helm) and the one with the highest expectations.No one is expecting a Championship for the Clips, but a return to something like the 2006 version of the team that came within one win of the Western Conference Finals is seemingly within reach. If Del Negro can deliver a consistent starting lineup (baring injury), a rotation that makes sense and more wins than losses, he will win over Clipper fans.I reached out to the voice of Clipper fans, actor/comedian Rondell Sheridan, to get his view on the hiring. "My first thought was 'Hey we got a black coach', then I realized Negro was his last name. I am looking forward to seeing Vinnie work his magic next week when he is down in Vegas for NBA Summer league."Even the most optimistic Clipper fan is leery, although not too let-down by the hiring.So, the coach is now in place. Dismantling the Clipper "process" however will take time and has to start at the top.Maybe LBJ shocks the word, Washington Redskins jersey
as well as the Clippers, and selects the team from Los Angeles on Thursday. There is little doubt that announcement would cripple the CP. More likely, however, James announces his respect for the Clipper franchise as he dons the cap of another team.The Clippers are left to, once again, pick up the scraps that drop from the main table. The Clipper "process" remaining alive and well.