The Los Angeles Clippers are in the midst of a moment that has potential to break the franchise.
The fallout from the Kawhi Leonard saga is massive. The Clippers are losing five future first-round draft picks, with multiple executive (including governor Steve Ballmer) facing lengthy suspensions.
The punishment is so harsh that the Clippers might be in possession of the most bleak future in the entire NBA. Despite this, fans of the organization is receiving encouragement from an unlikely source as of Friday night.
J. Cole Shows Love to Clippers Fans
Platinum recording artist J. Cole is currently on his tour promoting his most recent album “The Fall-Off.”
Friday’s stop on the tour?
None other than the Clippers’ home in the Intuit Dome.
The rapper took time mid-show to display love to Clippers fans that are going through a rough patch at this time.
“Shoutout to the Clippers fans who are here, let’s pray for y’all.”
The crowd – presumably littered with Los Angeles Lakers fans – responded with jeers. Cole shut down the anti-Clippers sentiment, leaving his fans with a simple, yet powerful message.
“Clippers fans need our love and support. Y’all seen what the f*** Adam Silver just did to them.”
Cole is a known enthusiast of NBA basketball, even performing at halftime of the 2019 All-Star game in Charlotte. This gesture of grace is a common theme for Cole as well, as he has name-dropped players such as Markelle Fultz in the past.
While this gesture only goes so far, it should be meaningful that Cole is showing heartfelt empathy for Clippers fans.
Los Angeles Still has Reasons for Optimism
While Los Angeles is angling to be one of the poorest teams in draft assets moving forward, they did receive a nice parting gift.
The Clippers trading center Ivica Zubac to the Indiana Pacers in February gifted the franchise the fifth overall draft pick in June.
Los Angeles now has 19-year-old Keaton Wagler in fold as a foundational piece, as well as second-round pick Baba Miller.
While Wagler’s ceiling as a player is up for debate, he is coming into the league with a clean statistical profile. This includes the one-and-done shooting 39.7% from three-point range and boasting an assist-to-turnover ratio of greater than two-to-one (Basketball Reference).
Wagler is a player to get excited about, regardless of the future draft picks situation for the Clippers. This also sets the stage for Los Angeles to potentially seek a trade involving point guard Darius Garland. The move would aid in recouping lost draft value for the Clippers.
The potential to keep head coach Tyronn Lue in fold is another major reason to be thrilled for L.A. fans. Lue remains one of the premier coaches in the NBA, and absolutely has the ability to bridge different eras together.
While the bottom line is bleak for the Clippers at the moment, not all is lost. There is a light at the end of the tunnel in Los Angeles.
J. Cole Has a Powerful Message for Disappointed Clippers Fans