When it comes to the summer and upcoming free agency, no team is going to have the most eyes looking at them like the L.A. Clippers. Both Chris Paul and Blake Griffin can exercise the early termination options in their contracts, and J.J. Redick is in the final year of his deal as well.
Griffin and Paul are the two biggest names expected to enter free agency, and while free agency can be very unpredictable at times, both have been reported by reputable sources as near-locks to remain in Los Angeles.
Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, former CEO of Microsoft who purchased the Clippers for $2 billion back in August of 2014, is a huge fan of basketball. All you'd need to do is look at the courtside seats nearest to the basket to the right of the Clippers bench to find Ballmer at every game cheering his socks off night in and night out.
Ballmer recently joined Fox Business to discuss the financial side of the Clippers over the past couple years.
“We’re getting price appreciation because these basketball teams will continue to appreciate as the stock market appreciates,” Ballmer said in an interview on the FOX Business Network’s Wall Street Week. “People pay, basically, with appreciation in the stock market. Now, I’m not going to sell my team. I’m not looking for the dividend return. I’m looking for the fun, which means we’re looking for championships.”
As Ballmer stated, it's all about the championships for him. To win a championship, however, it may take lot more spending this summer with both Griffin and Paul expected to to demand max contracts. In the interview, Ballmer says spending, especially into the luxury lax, will not be an issue for him.
“The team can break even, it can lose a little money, it can make a little money.
“I'm not afraid to pay luxury tax for us to win, so we'll probably lose a little money here along the way. If you don't pay luxury tax, I think we can get a 3% dividend return. I'm not gonna sell my team, I'm not looking for the dividend return, I'm looking for the run, which means we're looking for championships.”
The Clippers have the second highest payroll in the NBA this season behind only the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers. The NBA's salary cap is going to increase to about $101 million next season, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical, which means max contracts for both Griffin and Paul can go be up to 30% of the team's total cap.
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