Clippers’ Problem Is Keeping the Players

After acquiring Darnell Valentine from Portland, Carl Scheer was quoted as saying “This franchise is not going to be successful until it gets good players.” Obtaining good players has never been their problem; keeping them has.

And you don’t keep quality NBA players around for any length of time by making them play for a scrooge of an owner, a sports-ignorant, attorney-turned-executive for a president, and a general manager who spends most of his time whining to the local press while airing the organization’s dirty laundry in public.

Clipper management would be wise to concentrate on forming long - range goals instead of desperately and disruptively making emergency trades two or three times each season. This franchise is not going to be successful until it gets decent management.

LINDA GOLDBERG

Los Angeles