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Clippers Sign-and-Trade Marko Jaric to Minnesota for Sam Cassell and First Round Pick

On August 12th, 2005, the Los Angeles Clippers signed-and-traded guard Marko Jaric and traded Lionel Chalmers to the Minnesota Timberwolves for guard Sam Cassell and a 2012 first round draft pick (Austin Rivers).

The 2000 NBA Draft was a busy night for the Los Angeles Clippers. The team had the third overall pick and selected forward Darius Miles. The Clippers also acquired first rounders Quentin Richardson and Keyon Dooling through the draft and trade respectively.

On top of that, Los Angeles had the number one pick of the second round. The team selected guard Marko Jaric from Serbia with the 30th overall selection. Though Jaric was a second round pick, many felt that he would’ve been a first round pick if he had not been under contract to play professionally overseas.

A 6′7″ point guard, Jaric had began playing professionally in his teens in Greece with Peristeri B.C. After two seasons, Jaric moved on to Italy where he played for Fortitudo Bologna of the Serie A2 league. Jaric had been an All-Star and won the Italian League championship with Fortitudo in 2000.

After his two-year run with Fortitudo, Jaric moved on to play for Virtus Bologna. Jaric teamed with Manu Ginobilli and the team won the 2001 Italian League championship, Italian Cup and the Euroleague Championship. After two seasons with Fortitudo, Jaric decided to make his way to the NBA. Since the Clippers held his draft rights, they had exclusive negotiating rights to sign Jaric. The point guard signed a three-year, $5.7 million deal with the Clippers (salary total via Patricia Bender).

While the team acquired Jaric, they let starting point guard Jeff McInnis leave in free agency and traded forward Darius Miles to the Cleveland Cavaliers for point guard Andre Miller in a four-player deal. Jaric would be Miller’s backup at the point for the 2002-03 season.

After a surprisingly decent 39-43 finish during the 2001-02 season, the Clippers had expectations to continue to grow with a young core built around Elton Brand, Lamar Odom, Corey Maggette, Quentin Richardson and the new additions of Miller and Jaric.

The Clippers’ ‘02-‘03 campaign was a disappointment from the jump. The team dropped 12 of their first 18 games. Los Angeles never rebounded. After the team fell to 19-39, head coach Alvin Gentry was fired and replaced by assistant Dennis Johnson for the rest of the season. The Clippers finished up the year with a 27-55 mark.

A big part of the Clippers season falling apart was injuries. Key players Brand, Maggette, Odom, Richardson and Olowokandi all missed at least 18 games. Only starter Andre Miller managed to finish playing in at least 80 games. In his rookie season, Jaric amassed 7.4 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 2.9 APG and 1.5 SPG in 66 games (12 starts) and 20.9 MPG.

Going into the 2003 offseason, the Clippers had numerous free agents and had some key decisions to make. Owner Donald Sterling had maintained a track record of refusing to re-sign players to large contracts or signing free agents to huge deals. Brand, Maggette, Odom and Miller were all restricted free agents, meaning that the Clippers had the first right of refusal in free agency. Olowokandi and guard Eric Piatkowski were unrestricted free agents.

Brand and Maggette both signed offer sheets of six years and $82 million, and six years and $42 million with the Miami Heat and Utah Jazz respectively. The Clippers matched both offers. Andre Miller and Lamar Odom were given six year offer sheets from the Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat respectively. The Clippers decided against matching the offer sheets for Miller and Odom. Olowokandi and Piatkowski both left in free agency as well.

Besides adding center Chris Kaman in the 2003 Draft, the Clippers made little noise in free agency. The team added coach Mike Dunleavy in the offseason. Los Angeles began the 2003-04 season on an up with a 4-2 start, but dropped nine of their next 11 games. The season would be inconsistent as the team was 24-30 after 54 games. The season went off the rails towards the end as the Clippers lost 24 of their final 28 games to finish 28-54.

The departure of Miller allowed Jaric to become the starter at point guard for the Clippers in his second season. A stress fracture in his left foot cut Jaric’s season short. Overall, he saw action in 58 contests (50 starts) and put up 8.5 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 4.8 APG and 1.6 SPG in 30.3 MPG.

After the ‘03-‘04 campaign, the Clippers looked to make big moves. First, they ended up with the second pick in the 2004 draft lottery and subsequently moved down to four by trading away the second pick and veteran Peja Drobnjak to the Charlotte Bobcats for the fourth overall pick and 33rd selection in the second round. The move was made to clear cap space while the Clippers honed in on a point guard with the fourth selection.

Los Angeles got their point guard, selecting Illinois high schooler Shaun Livingston. At the youthful age of 18, and standing 6′7″, Livingston was an intriguing prospect that earned comparisons to Hall of Famer Magic Johnson. The move also signified that Jaric was not viewed as a long-term option as a starter.

Lionel Chalmers was selected 33rd overall in the second round of the 2004 NBA Draft by the Clippers. The former Xavier guard was undersized and not a traditional point guard. A solid scorer and shooter in college, Chalmers had struggled as a distributor in college, posting a 1.13 assist-to-turnover rate.

The Clippers made a run at star free agent Kobe Bryant from their city rivals the Los Angeles Lakers, but failed to procure the shooting guard. After missing out on Bryant, the Clippers acquired two-guard Kerry Kittles from the New Jersey Nets for a second round pick.

Chalmers played in 2004 Summer League for the Clippers. Soon after, he signed a multi-year deal with the Clippers. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but according to Patricia Bender’s salary page, the Clippers guaranteed the salary for two years and $1.13 million.

The Clippers were 10-6 in their first 16 games during the 2004-05 season. However, the losing would continue. A 3-9 February would seal the team’s fate as a non-playoff team. As a positive, the Clippers did manage to improve on their record with a 37-45 finish.

A sprained right foot and a stress fracture in the same foot kept Jaric out for a serious amount of time. He appeared in 50 games (41 starts) and compiled career-highs of 9.9 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 6.1 APG and 1.7 SPG in 33.1 MPG. His understudy Livingston also missed 52 games, causing the Clippers to rely heavily on journeymen point guards in Rick Brunson and Darrick Martin at times. Chalmers managed 3.1 PPG (.460 FG%), 0.9 RPG and 1.4 APG in 12.0 MPG and 36 contests in his rookie season.

In the 2005 offseason, Jaric became a restricted free agent. The Clippers tendered a qualifying offer to Jaric. Though Los Angeles wanted to keep Jaric, the Serbian point guard had found a number of teams interested in his services including the Denver Nuggets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers, Utah Jazz, Minnesota Timberwolves and Portland Trail Blazers.

The presence of Livingston, the newly acquired shooting guard Cuttino Mobley and Los Angeles’ constant choice to look for an upgrade had caused Jaric to look for a new home where he could run the show. Though the Clippers were interested in keeping Jaric, they were willing to deal Jaric in a sign-and-trade. Soon after, the sign-and-trade would happen with the Clippers signing Jaric to a six-year, $40 million deal and sending him to the Timberwolves for Sam Cassell and a future first round pick.

Jaric ended his run in Los Angeles with a stat line of 8.5 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 4.5 APG and 1.6 SPG in 174 contests. The Serbian guard posted shooting splits of 40/34/74 from the field, three and free-throw line respectively.

Sam Cassell originally became a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves after he was traded by the Milwaukee Bucks with center Ervin Johnson for Anthony Peeler and Joe Smith. A month after, the Wolves landed Latrell Sprewell in a four-team deal that saw the franchise trade center Marc Jackson and injured veteran Terrell Brandon.

The additions of Sprewell and Cassell were seen as the big name acquisitions meant to help star Kevin Garnett get the Minnesota Timberwolves past the first round. Minnesota had been stuck in what seemed like an endless loop of first round exits (seven consecutive to be exact).

The new look Timberwolves began the season a lukewarm 9-8, but found success right after. Minnesota went 35-9 the next 44 games to wind up 44-17. Eyeing homecourt advantage throughout the Western Conference playoffs, the team went 5-7 to fall to 49-24.

Facing a three-game deficit in the loss column behind the Sacramento Kings, the Wolves won their final nine regular season games to take the top seed in the West and finish with a franchise record 58-24 mark. Cassell was an excellent addition and provided veteran guile and wisdom while posting a career-high in PER (22.8).

Cassell (19.8 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 7.3 APG and 1.3 SPG in 81 games and 35.0 MPG) made the All-Star team for the first time, becoming the second-oldest player (34 years and two months) to earn his first All-Star berth ever. The veteran guard also earned his first nod on an All-NBA team, making the second team.

Coming off the best regular season in franchise history, the Timberwolves advanced to the playoffs where they faced the eighth-seeded Denver Nuggets in the opening round. The series opener saw Cassell (40 points) and Garnett (30 points and 20 rebounds) power Minnesota to a 106-92 win. The T-Wolves were comfortable, leading by as much as 22 in the game.

In the following game, Sprewell came alive with 31 points and Garnett had a triple double (20 points, 22 rebounds and 10 assists) in a 95-81 victory. Facing a 2-0 deficit, the Nuggets bounced back at home, establishing an 18-point lead in the second quarter of Game Three. Behind 24 points and 10 rebounds from rookie Carmelo Anthony, the Nuggets won 107-86.

Game Four was contentious with both teams chirping back and forth. The contest was also close. The Timberwolves were in good position to win with an 81-74 lead with 3:18 left in the fourth quarter. Nuggets guard Voshon Lenard knocked down two triples in a two-minute span to bring Denver within one with 1:23 left. A Latrell Sprewell trey with 1:04 gave Minnesota some breathing room. After misses from both teams, Denver’s Nene converted on a dunk to pull the Nuggets within two with 18.7 seconds left.

Sprewell was intentionally fouled, but missed both free throws, giving Denver a chance to tie or win the game with 12.1 seconds left. Denver had two opportunities, but Miller and Lenard both missed on shot attempts and Minnesota took a commanding 3-1 series lead.

Minnesota didn’t want to return to Denver for a possible Game Six, so they took care of business winning Game Five 102-91. Cassell had a solid series powered by strong performances in Games One and Five. He put up 20.6 PPG on 50.6% shooting, 3.4 RPG and 4.4 APG in 37.0 MPG.

The Timberwolves got the monkey off their back and won their first playoff series in franchise history. In the next round they faced the 55-27 Sacramento Kings. Cassell opened the series with a 40-point performance, but Kings guard Mike Bibby had 33 points, seven rebounds and seven assists to lead the Kings to a 104-98 win. Notably, Minnesota’s MVP Garnett struggled in the first game, going 6-for-21 from the field.

In the second contest, Garnett came alive with 28 points, 11 rebounds, six blocks and four assists. Sacramento held an 88-78 lead with 4:11 left, but Minnesota stormed back with a 16-1 run to win the game 94-89.

Roles reversed in the third game as the Kings came back from a 15-point deficit late. In a 100-87 hole with 3:45 left, the Kings made a rousing comeback, tying the game with 10.7 seconds left on a Peja Stojakovic three-pointer. Even with Cassell out after he fouled out late in the fourth quarter, the Wolves mustered up enough offense in the extra period and won Game Three 114-113 after Stojakovic missed a late three to win.

Game Four saw the Kings lead by as much as 17 points and hold on for a six-point win. Garnett and Sprewell combined for 57 points in Game Five as Minnesota experienced a comfortable 86-74 win at home. Facing elimination, the Kings blew out Minnesota 104-87 and forced a Game Seven.

The series deciding seventh contest was close and a slog. Minnesota held a one-point lead with 16.1 seconds left after a three from Kings guard Doug Christie. After two free-throws from Cassell, the Kings missed three shot attempts (two three-pointers) on their final possession as Minnesota held on for an 83-80 victory.

Garnett had 32 points, 21 rebounds, four steals and five blocks while Cassell chipped in 23 points during the final game. In the seven-game series, Cassell produced 17.9 PPG on 46.4% shooting, 3.0 RPG, 5.4 APG and 1.1 SPG in 35.6 MPG.

The Timberwolves went on to the Conference Finals where they battled the Los Angeles Lakers. A super team with superstars in Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant and aging stars in Gary Payton and Karl Malone, the Lakers would provide a daunting task for the Wolves.

O’Neal had 27 points, 18 rebounds and four blocks in a 97-88 Lakers win in Minnesota. Cassell lasted 43 seconds in Game Two because of a hip and back injury, but the Timberwolves handled the Lakers 89-71.

Cassell returned for Game Three, but was limited by his injury. The duo of O’Neal and Bryant combined for 44 points in a 100-89 win. Cassell was limited to five minutes in Game Four and backup Darrick Martin started in his place. Los Angeles took a commanding 3-1 series lead with a 92-85 win.

Cassell missed the rest of the series after. The Timberwolves staved off elimination in Game Five with a 98-96 win, but the Lakers made their fourth trip to the Finals in five years with a 96-90 victory. Cassell was limited to 9.3 PPG in 16.0 MPG due to injury.

In the 2004 offseason, Cassell had arthroscopic surgery on his left hip. The Wolves kept much of their roster intact for the 2004-05 season. Expecting to compete for a championship once again, the Wolves got off to a solid 13-6 start. The team went 6-13 over their next 19 games to fall to 19-19.

After 51 games, the team was a disappointing 25-26 and ninth in the Western Conference. Coach Flip Saunders was fired and replaced by vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale.

The Wolves found themselves at 33-34 and two and a half games behind the eighth-seeded Denver Nuggets after 67 games. The Wolves would turn it on late and go 11-4 in their final 15 games. Unfortunately, the Wolves would fall just one game short of a playoff spot.

Cassell’s past in the NBA had serious ramifications on his time in Minnesota. He had signed what would eventually become an extremely low six-year, $21 million contract extension with the New Jersey Nets in 1997. After a three-year extension worth about $18.2 million that he signed in Milwaukee in 2002, Cassell wanted job security and also a salary raise. It was a chance to make up for the years he had been underpaid despite being a quality starting point guard.

For Minnesota, Cassell was turning 35 during the start of the 2004-05 season and they were leery about signing Cassell to a significant deal considering his age and injury history.

Cassell’s season was a struggle individually and it contributed to some of Minnesota’s disappointing season. From the jump, Cassell got off to a slow start after he missed the beginning of media day and training camp due to his frustration over not receiving a contract extension. Cassell was not alone as fellow starter Sprewell had expressed his frustration with his contract and turned down a three-year, $21 million offer from the Wolves.

Though he started the season healthy, Cassell missed 23 games due to a nagging strained right hamstring. He also was moved to the bench at times in favor of Troy Hudson. Overall, Cassell had a weak performance by his standards. He appeared in 59 contests (23 starts) and posted 13.5 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 5.1 APG and 0.6 SPG in 25.8 MPG.

Cassell and Sprewell received blame for Minnesota’s first non-playoff season in nine years. Both players saw their individual statistics decline and their bickering with the franchise over their respective contract situations caused a constant blame game in the press between management and players.

It became apparent that the Wolves would make several changes in the 2005 offseason. Soon, the team hired coach Dwane Casey to take over. The team chose not to re-sign Sprewell and traded Cassell to the Clippers.

Cassell ended his time in Minnesota with a stat line of 17.2 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 6.4 APG and 1.0 SPG. The former Florida State product shot 48% overall, 35% from three and 87% from the free-throw line.

Chalmers was waived by the Timberwolves towards the end of 2005 training camp after posting 4.4 PPG and 2.4 APG in 10.8 MPG in five preseason appearances.

Minnesota started the 2005-06 season just 3-4, but after 18 games the team was leading the Northwest Division with a 12-6 record. The good times would not last. Minnesota went 7-15 over their next 22 games. At 19-21, the Wolves made a major trade, dealing Wally Szczerbiak, Dwayne Jones, Michael Olowokandi and a first round pick to the Boston Celtics for Ricky Davis, Mark Blount, Marcus Banks, Justin Reed and two first round picks.

Minnesota went 14-28 the rest of the season. They finished 33-49 and missed the playoffs for the second consecutive season. Jaric had the starting job at point guard, but struggled, shooting just 42% overall and 32% from three in his first 46 games/starts.

Jaric lost his starting spot midseason to a combination of Anthony Carter and Banks. He did start for a three-game stretch late in the season, but saw a steep decline in playing time. Overall, Jaric appeared in 75 games (49 starts) and posted 7.8 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 3.9 APG and 1.4 SPG in 28.0 MPG.

In the 2006 offseason, the Wolves drafted guard Randy Foye from Villanova and signed point guard Mike James using the midlevel exception. The moves signaled a lack of confidence in Jaric as starting point guard after a subpar first season.

The Wolves began the 2006-07 season at 10-9, but they fluctuated between being several games over .500 to several games under .500. After 36 games, Minnesota was 20-16 and in the playoff hunt. The Wolves proceeded to drop their next game, falling to 20-20. At this point, coach Casey was fired and replace by lead assistant Randy Wittman. The coaching change wouldn’t help much as Minnesota went 12-30 under Wittman. The Wolves finished the year 32-50.

Jaric played exclusively as a wing throughout his second season and spent most of his time as a reserve. The 6′7″ guard appeared in 70 games (13 starts) and contributed 5.3 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 2.1 APG and 1.1 SPG in 22.2 MPG.

As the telltale signs of a franchise teardown was becoming more evident, the Wolves had to decide whether to trade superstar Kevin Garnett. After some time, the team moved Garnett to the Boston Celtics in a historic deal that netted the Timberwolves Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, Gerald Green, Sebastian Telfair, Theo Ratliff and two future first round picks. Also, the team dealt the disappointing James to the Houston Rockets for veteran Juwan Howard.

The departure of Garnett signified a long rebuild. Minnesota went to new lows as a team, dropping 29 of their first 33 games. Questions of whether they would break the record for the worst winning percentage in NBA history reached a high after the team was 5-34 after 39 games. A 17-26 finish to the season would keep Minnesota out of “the worst team ever” talk as they finished third worst in the NBA with a 22-60 mark.

With James traded and Foye out for more than half of the season, Jaric was given a chance to start at point guard for most of the season and excelled at times on defense. He appeared in 75 games (56 starts) and posted 8.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 4.1 APG and 1.3 SPG in 29.2 MPG.

After the season, Jaric was involved in an eight-player draft night trade between the Timberwolves and Memphis Grizzlies centered around 2008 lottery picks Kevin Love and O.J. Mayo. Jaric ended his time in Minnesota with 7.2 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 3.4 APG and 1.3 SPG in 220 games. He shot 41% from the field, 34% from behind the three-point line and 73% from the free-throw line.

Though he was adequate as a perimeter defender with length who could guard multiple positions, Jaric was inconsistent as a shooter and his reluctance to shoot from the perimeter made him an offensive liability. This caused the Wolves to try him at different positions and also led to his fluctuating role from season to season with the club. The inconsistency in his role also killed Jaric’s confidence.

The disappointment of Wolves fans with Jaric would last quite some time, with the guard receiving boos in Minnesota as late as a 2012 preseason game.

Sam Cassell was reluctant to join the Clippers initially because he was still clamoring for a contract extension, which the Clippers were not interested in discussing at the time. After a conversation with new coach Mike Dunleavy, Cassell warmed to the idea of playing out the 2005-06 season with the Clippers.

The move to Los Angeles was overall a positive for Cassell and the Clippers. He would be a full-time starter and have the keys to the Clippers offense as a lead ballhandler, while mentoring young prospect Shaun Livingston as the Clippers point guard of the future.

The new look Clippers began the ‘05-‘06 season well with a 5-1 start. The team continued to play well behind a top notch season from star Elton Brand. Cassell (17.2 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 6.3 APG and 0.9 SPG in 78 games and 34.0 MPG) added quality play and late-game heroics as the Clippers finished with the fifth best record in the West at 47-35. Los Angeles qualified for the playoffs for the first time in nine years, and also had their most wins since the 1974-75 season when the team went 49-33 while playing as the Buffalo Braves in the Eastern Conference.

Due to playoff seeding rules that allowed division winners to take the top three spots, the Clippers became the sixth seed in the Western Conference. They matched up with the third-seeded Denver Nuggets. Denver (44-38) had a worse record than the Clippers but held the third seed due to winning the Northwest Division. Even with the weird seeding quirk, the Clippers had the better record, meaning that they held homecourt advantage in the first round series.

The series opener saw the Clippers lead for much of the game, building a 16-point lead late in the third quarter. Denver found a way to crawl back into the game, tying the score at 87 after an Andre Miller layup with 1:08 left in the fourth quarter. The Clippers took an 89-87 lead after Vladimir Radmanovic was fouled and made two free throws with 59.8 seconds left.

After Elton Brand blocked Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony, Radmanovic was called for an offensive foul on a drive. With 24 seconds left, Anthony missed two potential game-tying shots as the Clippers held on for the two-point win.

The second game was a rout, as the Clippers led by as much as 25 points in the first half. The Nuggets would make the score respectable, but the final score was 98-87 in the Clippers’ favor. Los Angeles held a 2-0 series lead.

The third game was in Denver, and the Nuggets won after Anthony scored 24 points and the Nuggets forced the Clippers into 24 turnovers. In Game Four, the Clippers led by as much as 23 points and seven Clippers were in double figures in a 100-86 win.

Holding a 3-1 series lead, the Clippers took care of business with a comfortable 101-83 rout. During the five-game matchup, Cassell managed 14.6 PPG on 40% shooting, 3.0 RPG, 5.4 APG and 0.8 SPG in 28.9 MPG. The series win was the franchise’s first series win since 1976.

The Clippers moved on to the Semifinals where they battled the Phoenix Suns and the ‘05-‘06 NBA MVP Steve Nash. The series opener was a back and forth contest. Elton Brand had 40 points and Cassell chipped in 28 points, but the Clippers succumbed to Phoenix’s uptempo style in a 130-123 loss.

The second game saw the Clippers dominate on the offensive glass with a 19-5 offensive rebounding advantage and a 31-6 edge on second chance points. Los Angeles managed to steal homecourt advantage with a 122-97 win. Cassell had dominated in the first two games, averaging 25.5 PPG on 58% shooting while being guarded by Steve Nash.

In the third game, the Suns made the adjustment of switching forward Shawn Marion on to Cassell and hiding Nash on the offensively limited Quinton Ross. Known as a premier defender, Marion played a part in limiting Cassell to a 2-for-10 showing in a tight 94-91 Clippers loss in Game Three.

The Clippers rebounded in Game Four. They built a 13-point lead with 5:54 left in the fourth quarter. Phoenix stormed back, putting together a 12-0 run before an Elton Brand field goal with 56 seconds left. After a miss from Suns forward Tim Thomas, Cassell (28 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists) nailed a decisive three-pointer with 27.2 seconds left. Los Angeles took a six-point lead and ended up winning 114-107, tying the series 2-2.

The fifth game was an epic contest. There were 20 lead changes and 13 ties. With 39.2 seconds left and the Clippers down by three, Cassell nailed a corner three to tie the game. Neither team would score the rest of regulation, forcing overtime.

In the extra frame, the Clippers led 111-108 with 3.6 seconds left after Cassell made two free throws. Phoenix managed to tie it after Raja Bell hit a corner three with 1.1 seconds left. The Clippers turned it over on their inbounds, and Shawn Marion missed a heave at the buzzer.

The second overtime saw Marion and Leandro Barbosa take over for the Suns. The duo scored 11 of the team’s 14 points in the second overtime as Phoenix beat the Clippers 125-118. Brand had 30 points and 12 rebounds, and Corey Maggette contributed 25 points off the bench as the Clippers led by double digits most of the way in a 118-106 Game Six win.

The series finale saw Nash (29 points and 11 assists) and Marion (30 points and nine rebounds) dominate and Phoenix used a 15-0 advantage in three-point field goals made in a 127-107 rout. The seven-game series saw Cassell bring his A-game. The vet put up 20.4 PPG, 4.7 RPG and 6.0 APG in 37.1 MPG.

After his strong 2005-06 campaign, Cassell was offered a two-year, $15 million deal by the Atlanta Hawks. He would stay in Los Angeles however, after the Clippers gave him a two-year, $13 million deal.

For the first time in a lengthy period, the Clippers had some buzz going into the 2006-07 season. Fresh off of a series win in the 2006 playoffs and the intriguing signing of forward Tim Thomas in the offseason, the Clippers were expected to be a playoff team once again.

The team would be up and down all season. Los Angeles won five of their six games but soon dropped six of seven. The Clippers would continue their rollercoaster ride of a season. After 74 games, the Clippers were eighth in the West with a 37-37 mark. They went just 3-5 over their final five games to fall out of the playoffs with a 40-42 record. They finished just two games behind the seventh place Golden State Warriors and eighth place Los Angeles Lakers.

Cassell’s second season in Los Angeles was mired by injuries. Back spasms, groin, left foot and ankle problems cause Cassell to miss 24 games. Cassell came off the bench for parts of the season as the Clippers shifted their focus to starting the younger Livingston.

Cassell regained his starting spot briefly after Livingston suffered a gruesome knee injury that ended his season and put his career in doubt. After starting one game, Cassell suffered a groin injury and never started again the rest of the season. For the season, Cassell managed 12.3 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 4.7 APG and 0.5 SPG in 58 games (30 starts) and 24.3 MPG.

After the rough injury hit season, the Clippers suffered even more bad news in the 2007 offseason. Star Elton Brand ruptured his left achilles tendon during a routine offseason workout. The injury would keep him out for all but six games of the 2007-08 season.

The Clippers got off to a surprising 4-0 start without Brand, but the reality of a losing season set in as the team dropped 23 of their next 29 games. Cassell played in 38 of the team’s first 55 games when his time in Los Angeles came to an end. The Clippers eventually agreed to a buyout with Cassell who was looking to compete for a championship. As part of the agreement, Cassell forfeited half of his remaining $1.7 million salary. Cassell eventually signed a one-year deal with the Boston Celtics.

Cassell was averaging 12.8 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 4.7 APG and 0.7 SPG in 25.7 MPG. The 38-year old point guard ended his run in Los Angeles with averages of 14.6 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 5.4 APG and 0.7 SPG in 174 games. Cassell shot 44% from the field 33% from three and 87% from the free-throw line in that time span.

The first round draft pick acquired in the deal was lottery protected all the way through 2012. Later on as Minnesota struggled, the looming pick became a major part in the criticism of the trade on Minnesota’s end.

A lengthy playoff drought would ensue for Minnesota and they would fail to make the playoffs for over a decade. Minnesota’s lack of success — especially a stretch from 2007-2011 where the team lost at least 50 games every season — heightened the value of the first round pick when it would be conveyed in 2012.

The pick still had immense value when the Clippers dealt it to the New Orleans Hornets in a 2011 trade for superstar point guard Chris Paul. By the 2012 NBA Draft, the Timberwolves were still a lottery team, but with a slightly more respectable roster built around budding star Kevin Love, the team finished 26-40.

That record was 10th worst in the NBA, so instead of what seemed to be a lock for a top-five pick, the Hornets ended up picking 10th in the 2012 draft. New Orleans selected Duke point guard Austin Rivers with the pick.

Sam Cassell on his meeting with Clipper head coach Mike Dunleavy (via LA Times):

“My meeting with Mike was cool, real cool. Mike Dunleavy and I are on the same page, which is what I wanted to hear, because our major goal is to win. That’s what he wants and that’s what I want, so it was... the way you want to get it started. I know what I can do, I know the talent they have on this team, and I know what I can do as a part of this team. It’s going to be good, real good.”

On how he will be used with the Clippers:

“Mike talked about how to do it, how to win, so he said he’s going to use me similar to the way [former coach] Flip Saunders used me in Minnesota. I had the ball in my hands down the stretch, and I wanted to take the shot. That’s one thing they didn’t have here last year, someone to put the ball in his hands down the stretch and take that leadership. That’s what I love to do. Mike wants to win, so he wants to have me on the court.”

On people underestimating him:

“I had a hamstring injury, and that happens to a whole lot of people. That happened, but I’m not worried about it now because I’m in great shape. The worst thing a person can do is blow his own horn, and I don’t need to do that. Just sit back and watch. And just get ready to jump on the bandwagon.”

On where the Timberwolves are headed after trading him (via Minneapolis Star Tribune):

“They’re going to be at the bottom again. I know for a fact that Kevin Garnett is disappointed. Kevin wants some guys he can go to war with.”

On Marko Jaric as his replacement:

“If they think Marko Jaric is a replacement for me, they’re out of their minds. I'm happy for him. I’m happy he got paid. But that’s not an upgrade. As players, we know.”

On Jaric’s new six-year contract:

“Six years? Forty million? Yeah, right. Yeah, right.”

On his time in Minnesota:

“Minnesota never got out of the first round until I got there. Then when I got hurt, everybody knew [my value]. I don’t take things personally. I know I was accused [of selfishness]. Spree and I came in as ‘rebels.’ But they had to blame somebody.”

What he expects to do in Los Angeles and his relationship with Wolves star Kevin Garnett:

I’m going to have a hell of a year. That’s not even my concern. I just wish it was with my main man, Kevin Garnett. We made each other better. He made me an All-Star; I made him an MVP.”

Marko Jaric on going to the Timberwolves (via LA Times):

“First of all. I’m going to a team that really likes me and respects me and, secondly, a team that I respect. I think that we have a really big chance to make really big damage in the playoff picture next year.”

On the Clippers:

“At least three or four teams wanted me more than the Clippers did, so I realized this is not the right place for me to stay.”

Los Angeles Clippers vice president of basketball operations Elgin Baylor on the trade (via Clippers.com):

“We’re excited to bring in a veteran player like Sam [Cassell] who brings nine years of playoff experience and two championships. The addition of Sam strengthens our back court. He’s a big time scorer who is one of the best in the league when it comes to taking and making the big shot in the closing moments of a ball game.”

On Cassell (via LA Times):

“Sam likes the talent on our team, and he believes he can make an immediate impact. Coach talked to Sam about the team, how he will fit in and how we will use him. He’s a heck of a good basketball player. He has the utmost confidence in his ability, and I really believe he will make a difference.”

If talks of an extension for Cassell ever came up:

“That never came up in the conversation with him.”

Timberwolves vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale on acquiring Jaric and Chalmers (via Timberwolves.com):

“We’re extremely excited to have acquired Marko. He is a very versatile player who has the ability to play the one, two or three spots on the floor. With Marko, we’ve added another player who can break down the defense and is a pass first point guard. Lionel is a player that we think has some upside and will compete for a roster spot in training camp.”

How there was a need for a change after a disappointing 44-38 finish the previous season (via Minneapolis Star Tribune):

“Last year was a very disappointing year. Maybe it was time to go in another direction. It was just time for a change.”

Why the move was made:

“I just thought maybe it was time to go a little younger — Marko's 26 — and a little bigger at that position and little more multidimensional. Sammy’s a pure point. [New head coach] Dwane [Casey] wants to play a little differently. It’s not so much a point-guard-driven offense. There's more ball movement.”

Timberwolves general manager Jim Stack on Sam Cassell (via Minneapolis Star Tribune):

“Sam came in, did a great job for us and brought a lot of success to the franchise. Then last year, things didn’t work out so well. We felt Marko could help us, and we wouldn’t have been able to get a guy of his caliber if Sam wasn’t involved. It’s a tough deal. When things don’t go well, and guys are out there saying, ‘I need this, I need that’ and making tough statements, they kind of bring the microscope on themselves.”

If star Kevin Garnett was upset with the trade:

“You want your best player on board with what you’re trying to do. Kevin, generally, when things are not going the way he wants, he’s pretty vocal about it. And I have not heard anything.”

Timberwolves head coach Dwane Casey on the trade (via Timberwolves.com):

“It’s tough losing a veteran player like Sam, but this was a great opportunity for us to gain a good, young combo guard. Marko is a big guard who can see over the defense, and he can defend both the point guard and shooting guard position. We feel we’ve really upgraded our defense and our team with the addition of Marko. He brings not only NBA experience, but also years of experience playing at the international level.”

On Jaric (via Minneapolis Star Tribune):

“Marko’s a tough cookie; he has an edge to him. He takes a lot of pride in his game. He caught my attention as the point guard on the Yugoslavian team that beat the U.S. in Indianapolis [2002] and wound up winning the gold medal.”

Cassell’s agent Charles Tucker on the trade (via Minneapolis Star Tribune):

“[Cassell] figured they were going to move him. He wanted to be moved if he’s not in their plans. It’s just part of the business. They must have really wanted the other kid [Jaric]; they wanted him enough to pay him 40 [million dollars].”

On Cassell wanting to know where Cassell stands with the Clippers (via LA Times):

“Sam is an All-NBA player, and you want a player of that caliber to be happy. I’m not saying that he’s unhappy [about the trade], but Sam just wants some understanding about what’s going on and what’s going to happen. If you’re going to have that type of player in your program, why wouldn’t you want him to come there happy?”

What it would take to make Cassell happy:

“Well. I’m sure we're going to have some conversations with them about that in the next day or two.”

On Cassell joining the Clippers (via LA Times):

“Yeah, he’s going to go. We really have no major problems with [the Clippers], we just want to know what the trade is about, because he’s no average player. Like I’ve said, ‘You want a player like Sam to be happy.’”

How the Clippers situation has to be right for Cassell:

“If the situation is good for us, fine, but if the situation is not good for us, then I don’t want Sam to be there. It needs to be a good marriage for the Clippers and us.”

Why Cassell was willing to play for the Clippers (via LA Times):

“With Mike Dunleavy here, Sam is coming. He wants to win.”

Jaric’s agent Bill Duffy on the trade from Jaric’s perspective (via LA Times):

“It’s a win-win.”

Image Credit:

Sam Cassell: via Getty Images/Sporting News Archive

Marko Jaric: via Getty Images/David Sherman

#Marko Jaric #Sam Cassell #Lionel Chalmers #Austin Rivers #Clippers #Timberwolves #2005 #2005*06 Season

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