Antawn Jamison is looking for employment and the Los Angeles Clippers could afford to sign a player of his caliber. Don't be fooled by Jamison's lack of production in 2013, the 37-year-old veteran can bring a lot to the other team in Los Angeles.
Mike D'Antoni should be blamed for Jamison's dramatic drop in numbers, but in reality, the move to L.A. had a lot to do with it. For the first time since 2003, Jamison wasn't in the starting lineup. Of the 76 games played in 2012-2013, Jamison only started six of them. Last year with the Lakers, Jamison averaged 9.4 points and 4.8 rebound a career low for the 15-year veteran.
There is no doubt that Jamison is past his prime, but if installed in the proper offense, he can still thrive and give a team, especially a playoff team like the Clippers a huge boost of the bench. During the 2012-2013 playoffs, the only player producing offensively off the Clippers' bench was Sixth Man of the Year candidate, Jamal Crawford. Jamison could give Crawford a hand with his ability to hit the three.
Last year, Jamison hit 36 percent of his threes. Having Crawford draw the defense is second nature to him. At times, he would have to force shots up, but with a shooter like Jamison around, Crawford would not have the offensive burden on his shoulders. The Clippers have already bolstered their bench and perimeter shooting by adding J.J. Reddick, who's a 39 percent three-point shooter.
Without a doubt, the Clippers are once again playoff contenders. Are they better than the Oklahoma City Thunder or Houston Rockets? It doesn't seem so, but adding a player of Jamison's caliber can only be a plus for this team. The Clippers did not improve in the 2012-2013 playoffs, finding themselves eliminated in the first round at the hands of the Memphis Grizzlies.
As of now, the only reports coming out of Clipper camp revolve around Jamison meeting with Doc Rivers, but no deal has been offered. Rivers is a veteran coach who has always found ways to revive careers (see Eddie House). Jamison's numbers might be the most impressive, but his skills set could help the Clippers get deeper into the playoffs.
