Clippers’ Lack of Progress Has Shue on Hot Spot : Owner Sterling: ‘I’m Going to Make This Situation Change’ at End of Season

Gene Shue’s future as coach of the Clippers apparently is in jeopardy.

Clipper owner Donald T. Sterling, frustrated with the lack of progress that the club has made in Shue’s first year at the helm, said he is considering removing Shue at the end of the season.

Sterling, whose team has lost 49 of 61 games this season, said he’s sick and tired of losing.

“I can’t sleep. I can’t eat,” Sterling said. “I’m sick. I’ve been successful in everything I’ve ever done. But I’ve never experienced anything like this.

“What should we do? Someone has to be accountable. (General Manager) Elgin (Baylor) asked me, ‘How do you feel about making a (coaching) change?’ I like continuity. I’ve never sold anything in my life. But I’m going to make this situation change.”

Sterling thinks Baylor should start interviewing coaches in case Shue isn’t retained.

“Do you know how many college coaches have called me (to inquire about a possible opening)?” Sterling said. “I think he should start interviewing people.”

“I’m tired of excuses. I want progress. I want a winning team. I want to be patient, but I want to see progress. I’m a results-oriented person. I demand results. Shue has to produce to be the coach of this team.”

Sterling also issued an ultimatum to Baylor, the general manager since 1986.

“And frankly, Elgin Baylor has to produce. Maybe I have to move Elgin Baylor to director of player personnel and bring in a killer general manager who will either win or kill everyone associated with the organization.”

Shue said that he hasn’t had an in-depth meeting with Sterling since January but the owner sent a message to Shue last Friday, before the Clippers’ last home game against the Golden State Warriors, through Andy Roeser, the club’s executive vice president in charge of business operations.

“Just prior to the game, Andy came in and said something to the effect that this wasn’t working,” Shue said. “(Roeser) said the (coaching) positions with the team would be re-evaluated at the end of the season.

“Coaching is a hazardous occupation. I know what I’m capable of doing. I’m a realistic person. When I got involved in this job I knew it would be difficult.

“I don’t want to make excuses but we’ve had injuries and certainly that’s been a setback. I’m disappointed that we haven’t won more games, but I see us moving forward.

“You don’t come into a situation like this and reverse it in a short period of time.”

Shue’s team collapsed after getting off to a promising 7-10 start, losing 39 of 44 games. In the last three months, the Clippers’ record is 4-33. They haven’t won on the road since Nov. 24, having lost 25 consecutive road games.

Sterling and club officials are also critical of the deliberate offense Shue has installed this season. The Clippers are the only team in the NBA averaging under 100 points a game.

The Clippers fired Coach Don Chaney after the club had compiled a 12-70 record last season, third-worst in NBA history. Shue, who succeeded Chaney, signed a three-year contract to rebuild the club.

“When the season is over we’re going to make an evaluation of how much progress we’ve made in our three-year plan,” said Alan Rothenberg, Clipper president. “If we made the kind of progress we expected then (Shue is) secure.”

Baylor said: “We all feel our record should be better. I don’t want to get into who’s responsible. Right now Gene Shue is our coach, but at the end of the season we’ll sit down and evaluate everything.”

The Clippers, depleted by injuries and illness, have hit bottom in the last 2 1/2 weeks, losing eight straight since beating the Cleveland Cavaliers Feb. 27.

The Clippers weren’t expected to be very good this season, but nobody expected them to be quite this bad.

Sterling and club executives are also alarmed over the slow development of the Clippers’ three first-round draft picks--Reggie Williams, Joe Wolf and Ken Norman. Williams and Wolf have been sidelined by injuries.