Miracle on Figueroa St.

Q-Rich and I at Season Ticket Holders event, circa 2003 Dear Diary, Zach Randolph's contract(33.3M over 2 years) was deemed immovable. Who would want this guy? Granted he's an automatic 20/10, his reputation still precedes him. So, let's just forget about this pipe dream, right? WELL, NOT SO FAST. Come to find out, Lady Luck spent last night in the Clippers' hotel room and voila - out came Quentin Richardson. You heard right. The LA Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies have agreed to swap players, and can officially do so after the moratorium on July 8th. It was a week ago when this same Memphis team came knocking on the Clippers' door with a Marko Jaric/Greg Buckner for Z-Bo proposal which was ultimately nixed by the dirtbag, Donald T. Sterling. That left the majority of Clipper Nation fuming, pondering why Sterling would turn down a deal to SAVE MONEY. I'll admit, I was angry at the entire front office for not making it happen, and hearing Dunleavy say a deal wasn't even so close to being made and Neil Olshey state, "you don't trade 20/10 guys." Frustation was an understatement. Now, overjoyed is an understatement. That said, Q-Rich is past his prime. Once a rising star, he cashed in with the Phoenix Suns as a restricted free agent and I thought the guy was a potential All-Star. But then...he was traded to the Knicks. Multiple back surgeries later, Q is a shell of his former self. I don't know how he feels about coming back to LA, but one would assume after all he's been through, his perspective on his career and life in general has changed and he's just happy to still be able to play in the NBA. In terms of on-court contribution, anything we can get out of him would be a bonus, and considering he's in a contract year, that may be extra motivation. Plus the headknock, headbang, or whatever you call it, is back. More importantly for the Clippers is the financial situation. Q is set to make 9.4M(according to HoopsHype) in his contract year and the trade has allowed the Clips to obtain a 7.3M trade exception. If we let him, Marcus Camby, Ricky Davis, and Steve Novak expire...you're talking about over 20M in cap space. Just in time for the 2010 Free Agent Bonanza. This is the real coup of this deal. Technically speaking, we could throw an offer to D-Wade, Joe Johnson, or dare I say...LeBron James?!? Bottom line, the Clippers have set themselves up nicely for the future in 1)Blake Griffin dominating the post all he wants and 2)luring a top notch free agent to play alongside a talented youth corp in the beautiful City of Angels. Sincerely, Illastrate P.S. I'll miss you Z-Bo, and will be cheering for you when you come back to LA.