posted by Clippers.com | October 9 @ 12:00 pm On Wednesday, October 8th, Clippers.com sat down with Mike Dunleavy to discuss his new role as Clippers General Manager and Head Coach.
Plus, I’ve had dual roles in the past. I was both General Manager and Head Coach in Milwaukee, where we drafted three All-Stars in five years: Vin Baker, Glen Robinson, and Ray Allen. I also learned a lot from Jerry West during my time with the Lakers. The great thing is that our operations really aren’t changing. Basically Neil and I are just doing the same things with some added responsibilities and some new titles. Because we always worked as a team, we just see it as losing one of our advisors. At the end of the day, we really think this puts us in a great position to win basketball games.
 Given the extensive free-agent signings, trades, and valuable drafts picks this past off-season, Clippers fans are already excited for what is being referred to as a “new era” in Clippers basketball. Do your feel that this new role is another sign of newness and revitalization for the organization’s new outlook?
Of course you’re never happy to see your key guys opt out of their contracts, but with the opt outs this past off-season, it certainly gave us a great opportunity to be very proactive and aggressive in the free agent market. The first order of business was to go ahead and sign a franchise point guard, which we did in Baron Davis. With the rest of the cap room we used it to make trades to shore up our needs. We’re better off the dribble with Baron Davis and Ricky Davis. Our perimeter shooting wasn’t where it needed to be to compete in the high octane Western Conference, so we went out and traded for Steve Novak, drafted Eric Gordon. From a leadership perspective, we needed someone to play behind Baron who knew the team and who could really move the ball, and that’s Jason Hart. And besides Baron’s signing, the other key highlight of the summer was going out and getting an NBA All-Star and NBA Defensive Player of the Year in Marcus Camby for basically nothing.
So yes, this really is a new era of Clippers basketball through and through.
Looking forward to the season then, run us through a typical day for you. From breakfast to lights out, what does a Mike Dunleavy, the Clippers General Manager and Head Coach, day will look like. What are the day-to-day benefits of your new role?
 Well, I usually trade breakfast for an hour or so in the weight room at our new Training Center! I do get up extremely early to work out, but by about 7:00 am, I’ll be at my desk with an orange juice in hand, ready to start with my east coast phone calls. My General Manager and team operation duties will carry me through the morning until 10am which is when team practice begins. We hit the court hard everyday from 10am to about 1:00pm, and after wrapping up practice I’ll deal with any media who may be present. I’ll head back up to the office after that, and basically manage my time with what I need to get done for the next day. Basically I plan to be versatile every single day.
What should Clippers fans look forward to in the long term as a result of your new responsibilities?
Like I said before, we certainly worked hard to solidify all of our needs from last season, but one big thing that has gone unnoticed for those not inside the organization is the unique position we worked to gain for the 2010 free agent market. In 2010 we will find ourselves with approximately $35 million worth of cap room in what is shaping up to be the biggest summer in the last decade in terms of free-agency. And that’s the kind of foresight and planning that takes place behind the scenes. You know these moves aren't sporadic by any means. This team has a "win now" perspective, and you can see in the way we went out and picked up an All-Star in Camby after losing one in Brand. Coupled with Baron, that means we’re up two All-Stars and down one.
Even with our "win now" attitude in place, we still firmly believe in a “win later” perspective as well. With the year 2010 in mind, we will be looking at a team based in Los Angeles, practicing out of a $50 million Training Center a mile away from the beach, playing at STAPLES Center, filled with high-profile guys like Baron Davis and Chris Kaman, budding with rising stars like Al Thornton and Eric Gordon, and all that with our $35 million in cap space leverage for what is shaping up to be a huge free agent market.
On a basketball operations level, how has it been for you and your coaching staff to settle into the brand new and beautiful Playa Vista Training Facility?
Well, we went from being on the very low end of the league in terms of practice facilities to, if not the best, one of the top three training centers in the NBA. The staff finally feels like they have a place they can call home, a place they can settle into, and a place where they can do their jobs to help us win games. We have an open door policy 24 hours a day, and the guys know that my coaches are always willing to spend extra hours here with them on the court. We couldn’t be happier and I can already see the endless benefits we are receiving and will continue to receive from the new Training Center.
Think about it too, come free-agent time, more than 90% of the teams in the NBA over the salary cap, are all dealing with the same tools in signing new talent: we all have the mid-level exception, we have the bi-annual exception, and we have the veteran minimum. So when I shift into my General Manager position, I’m looking at 28 teams who are all competing for the same players with the same dollar figures. So take everything I mentioned earlier with the Training Facility, and couple that with a team that is competing in the West, and you’re looking at invaluable recruiting tools that will separate us from other teams in the NBA. That makes a free-agents’ decision to join the Clippers much easier.
Training Center aside, given that there are so many new players on the 2008-09 roster, how have the players—returning and new—responded to the new team atmosphere in and out of practice?
I can’t tell you how excited I am with this team, especially after seeing how they have come together since training camp. Last year we struggled with the three, we struggled in making plays off the dribble, we didn’t rebound the ball at the level I would have liked, and defensively we were nowhere near the team we were 2 years ago in the Western Conference semi-finals.
Now, I’m looking at a team day in day out that can shoot the ball, a team that is stretching the court and making plays off the dribble, a team that is freeing up double teams, a team that can dominate both offensively and defensively. In every single area, we are now improved. With the added depth we have, we’ll have guys on our inactive list that would be rotation players on teams around this league.
Speaking of some of those veterans, the numbers Baron Davis and Marcus Camby put up in Golden State and Denver, respectively, would have led the 2007-08 Clippers team in a number of categories: Baron’s 21.8 ppg, 7.6 apg, and his 2.3 spg, and Marcus' NBA-leading 3.61 bpg, and his 13.1 rpg. How do you plan to allow veteran players to continue to bring their career-proven strengths to the court while fostering the outbreak of new and emerging talents like 2008 All-Rookie First Team member Al Thornton?
These are guys who know how to win. These are guys who expect to win. These are guys who know the blueprint and the path to the playoffs. As a coach, I know how to do these things—I’ve been there with the Lakers, I’ve been there with Portland, I’ve been there with the Clippers—but there comes a point when you need the leadership presence on the floor. Guys who know the ropes, guys who know how to make big stops down the stretch, guys who know how to make big shots, guys who can win on the road. Baron and Marcus' leadership alone will pull these strengths in the young guys.
Look at what Sam Cassell and Cuttino Mobley did for the team a few years back—they put us over the top with their leadership and led us to the play-offs. Now you’re looking at an extremely talented pool of young guys in Al Thornton, Eric Gordon, DeAndre Jordan, and Mike Taylor who are all looking up to solid leaders in guys like Baron Davis, Marcus Camby, Cuttino Mobley, and Brian Skinner.
A team with a great mix of veteran and young talent certainly looks to be one of the many strengths of this year’s squad. How does the veteran presence of players like Baron Davis, Marcus Camby, and Cuttino Mobley affect youngsters like Eric Gordon, DeAndre Jordan, and Al Thornton?
Absolutely. We’ve got the older guys mentoring the young guys, and we’ve got the young guys pushing the veterans. These young, passionate, and exuberant guys like Mike Taylor and DeAndre Jordan have taken this team during training camp and have completely kicked it up a notch.
Some of these older guys have been through this so much that this time of year has a tendency to become “just another training camp”. But with these young guys bringing some juice into the gym, it’s been terrific for us, and that exactly what we try do. Our coaches and I love to instruct basketball, we love to be in the gym, we love to teach, and we look for young fresh talent who are the same way. So on our 82 game schedule, in the middle of the night a rainy night in the mid-west, we have guys who love the game and are going to bring it every time they hit the court.
Should Clipper Nation be on the look out for any training camp surprises who might garnish some real minutes in the 2008-09 season?
DeAndre Jordan’s development over the past few months have been off the charts. Look for him to push some guys for some extra minutes on the court. The guy’s athleticism is unbelievable: his rebounding, his shot blocking, his ability to finish around the rim. The way it looks now, he has a tremendous upside that will help him get on the floor this season.
Also, I’m not surprised at all by Eric Gordon. We’ve been scouting Eric since he was a sophomore in high school, and that guy has always been a beast. He’s just all that was advertised and more for us.
What should we look forward to in having two legitimate big men—especially Western Conference dominant big men—in Chris Kaman and Marcus Camby down low?
Just adding a person like Marcus Camby, you’re going to be better. We’re not surprised at all that Marcus is already showing an incredible veteran presence on and off the court with these guys.
Then you look at the way he complements Chris. Last year Chris was feeling the pressures of double and triple teams and Camby will certainly open up not only more good looks for Chris, but for himself too. Camby is a guy who can shoot the ball with range, he is a phenomenal passer, and that’s just offensively. We all know what a past NBA Defensive Player of the Year is bringing to the court defensively each and every game this season.
Should we expect to see hints of the Clippers style of play we have come to know, or is this a new team through and through?
This is a new team. We’re nine new guys, and we’re more athletic, we’re better shot-makers, we’re better play makers, we’re better defensively, we’re better rebounders, we’re a better shot blocking team. We certainly are a better team.
And just for fun, let's do some fill in the blanks...
This off-season, I most was surprised by... the amount of player movement involving us-Elton Brand, Baron Davis, and Marcus Camby.This off-season I was not surprised by... restricted free agents signing with their original teams. Chris Kaman is... getting better by the day. Al Thornton will... continue to improve and will be a major impact player for us. The new Training Center... helps the team in every way imaginable. Clippers Season Ticket Holders... should expect and will see a new and improved product they can be proud of. This season, expect... Clipper Nation to return.
Thanks Coach, we appreciate your time!
You got it.
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