It's time for the Miller Lite Call of The Week, where I either praise a call I loved or defend a call thought to be previously indefensible.

This week, I'm doing the unthinkable: praising my nemesis Mike Dunleavy. For the past two years, the squinty, shifty, Tony Soprano-lookalike actually has been a pretty good GM. He nailed the '08 draft: future All-Star Eric Gordon in Round 1, sleeper center DeAndre Jordan in Round 2. He coached the 2009 team so horrendously that it ended up with Blake Griffin (backhanded compliment, but still). He made a sneaky trade for Rasual Butler, a superb shooter who stretches defenses and fits in nicely with the Baron/Griffin/Gordon/Kaman nucleus. He somehow convinced Memphis to trade him Quentin Richardson's expiring contract for Zach Randolph, a salary albatross who would have blocked Griffin's minutes, then turned Q into two capable bench players (Bassy Telfair and Craig Smith).

By the way? I love Craig Smith. He's my favorite undersized power forward other than Paul Millsap. Total banger, plays hard, good guy, swings quarters coming off the bench, causes real problems for certain teams. Smith and Butler are the luxury role players GOOD teams have, which brings me to my point: The Clippers are going to be good. The parts fit. They have size, shooting and rebounding. They can play fast or slow. Their best player (Baron Davis) is motivated again. They have the Gordon/Griffin combo, only the NBA's best young inside/outside combo. They have a bench. They have cap flexibility (only $36 million committed next season). This is a playoff team. I'm telling you. And as I've written many times, Clipperland remains the most logical 2010 LeBron destination on paper. It's true.

In a perfect world, savvy GM Dunleavy would fire inept/bumbling coach Dunleavy. Sadly, this is an imperfect world. But let's give GM Dunleavy some praise for building the smartest Clippers roster ever. Anyway, I have two predictions. First, Dunleavy will win the 2010 NBA Executive of the Year Award. Second, when that happens, I will try to skin myself with an apple peeler. That's my great call of the week.

^^ he's not jumping on any bandwagon. he doesn't say anything about being a fan. he's not. he's a celtics fan for life. as a basketball analyst, he is saying he thinks the clippers have a good team and are going to make the playoffs. why do people hate him so much? if he (or ANYONE) says anything bad about the clippers, they're "haters" or "stupid", but when it comes down to it, 90% of the time, when someone says we won't succeed, they're right. but then, when someone says "the clippers will be good", god forbid we should take it as a compliment, because they're bandwagoners. you can't have it both ways. just accept simmons' analysis, hope he's right, and thank him for giving Dunleavy and the clips some credit.

Well, I beg to differ. I've never liked him and not because of what he says about US, but because this guy rides his career on talking crap about teams, players, and front offices as if he is a "expert", he's not. And using dry humor that sadly fails adds to my dislike for him.

Furthermore, I ain't thanking him for nothing...he isn't saying anything that hasn't already been said by countless others. He is just parroting what has been said.

Anyway, to use one of his lines:

I'd rather "skin myself with an apple peeler" before I thank him.

What's funny is 90 percent of this site claims no way in hell Lebron would join us... but why wouldn't he join a top 3 young talented, run and gun team, that has a point guard MUCH better than Mo Williams to feed him the rock. Also Al would be our easiest starting player to replace. Kaman is top 5 center, Baron is top 5 PG, Eric and Blake are future stars... so that leaves Thornton out. Thornton's a good player but imagine bringing in Lebron and putting him in a 6th man role? We would probably break every team stat record ever created. I predict 130 ppg season average! Along with scrappy league leading defense.

What's funny is 90 percent of this site claims no way in hell Lebron would join us... but why wouldn't he join a top 3 young talented, run and gun team, that has a point guard MUCH better than Mo Williams to feed him the rock. Also Al would be our easiest starting player to replace. Kaman is top 5 center, Baron is top 5 PG, Eric and Blake are future stars... so that leaves Thornton out. Thornton's a good player but imagine bringing in Lebron and putting him in a 6th man role? We would probably break every team stat record ever created. I predict 130 ppg season average! Along with scrappy league leading defense.

Baron
Gordon
Lebron
Griffin
Kaman

2010?....yes please

I'm not speaking for the 90% but I am one of those guys. Bringing in LBJ means that we cannot keep the core. If Gordon & Griffin live up to the hype, there is no way in hell we can keep the team intact. Maybe for 2 years but once the new contracts start coming up, you can forget it.

Plus, with Lebron looking to get the biggest payday of his life, I am certain you will have to break up the team to balance out what we will lose cap space for subpar players in return.

I'd rather have what we have now ( 5 good starters & a deep bench) for years to come then break the bank for him. Sorry, LBJ is probably the best player on earth but I rather build a balance team to contend for years than have the best player who will eventually start crying about not having talent around him.

Look at the Cavs, they broke the bank for him due to his "mixed messages" about staying. What did that get them? NO TITLE, NO COMMITMENT, and WAY OVER THE CAP....NO THANKS!

I agree one most of this Joe. Lebron would break our bank for as long as he stays. I also agree he would take a lot from Blake and Gordon. I also agree it's not likely to work. It is the best chance at a championship though, despite the long term consequences.

I agree one most of this Joe. Lebron would break our bank for as long as he stays. I also agree he would take a lot from Blake and Gordon. I also agree it's not likely to work. It is the best chance at a championship though, despite the long term consequences.

First, I doubt Lebron will leave Cleveland. Too much history there...

Still, sometimes players do and if he does, we'd be nuts not to grab him... We'd have a window of two amazing years before we'd have to figure something out salary wise... Imagine, Baron, Gordon, Lebron, Blake, Kaman, DJ and a few others... After two years, we'd have to figure something out about who to keep and who to let go, but you deal with that then. Saying we shouldn't go after Lebron is like saying the Celtics shouldn't have gambled their future by getting Ray Allen and KG... Basketball is always a gamble. You put together the best team you can and hope is all works out with a championship... Even if it doesn't, that team will get closer than they've ever been. It'll be damn exciting around here for awhile.

+1

At the very least, we'll have LBJ and BG together for 3 seasons. It's a chance you've gotta take.

^^ he's not jumping on any bandwagon. he doesn't say anything about being a fan. he's not. he's a celtics fan for life. as a basketball analyst, he is saying he thinks the clippers have a good team and are going to make the playoffs. why do people hate him so much? if he (or ANYONE) says anything bad about the clippers, they're "haters" or "stupid", but when it comes down to it, 90% of the time, when someone says we won't succeed, they're right. but then, when someone says "the clippers will be good", god forbid we should take it as a compliment, because they're bandwagoners. you can't have it both ways. just accept simmons' analysis, hope he's right, and thank him for giving Dunleavy and the clips some credit.