Over the last few years, the Los Angeles Clippers have been the darlings of the national media at times.
When they signed veteran point guard John Wall last summer, many members of the media picked the Clippers to win the NBA championship by a wide margin.
In addition, some of their overzealous fans even breathlessly exclaimed that the franchise had put together a superteam.
CLIPPERS ARE A SUPERTEAM
Have superstars Paul George and Kawhi Leonard
Have all star and no 1 pick John Wall
Have fringe all star Reggie Jackson and Norman PowellWITH ALL OF THIS HELP THEY ARE A SUEPRTEAM, YET PEOPLE STAY QUIET.
— Honest Social Media User (@HonesttwtUser) December 13, 2022
Yes, Wall didn’t play all of last season after being sent home by the Houston Rockets after asking for a trade, and yes, he shot just 40.4 percent overall and 31.7 percent from 3-point range in the last season he played, and yes he had torn his Achilles a few years ago, but just wait, he’ll look like his prime self again, said Clippers fans.
Balderdash.
So far this season, Wall has looked about as bad as he did in his last season in Houston, as he’s shooting just 40.8 percent from the field and 30.3 percent from downtown.
He has played in just 34 of the Clippers’ 47 games, and he has started just three of them.
Meanwhile, his Clippers, the supposed odds-on favorites to win the world title, are 23-24 and are in eighth place in the Western Conference.
In fact, the Wall experiment has gone so badly that they’re actually looking to trade him.
“The Clippers are searching for depth in the frontcourt and have discussed guard John Wall in potential deals, league sources say,” wrote Shams Charania of The Athletic (h/t Ahn Fire Digital). “Behind Ivica Zubac, the Clippers have relied heavily on two-way big man Moses Brown but have also looked into a more accomplished center.”
Wall is now 32 years of age, and while he can occasionally show bursts of his vintage speed and quickness, he is a far cry from the player he was several years ago with the Washington Wizards when he made five straight All-Star teams.
It is time for Clippers fans to admit they were overconfident about their team’s chances with Wall on board.
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