The 1999–2000 Los Angeles Clippers season was the 30th season for the Los Angeles Clippers in the National Basketball Association, and their 16th season in Los Angeles, California.

Season summary

Off-season For the season, the Clippers moved into their new arena known as the Staples Center, and became co-tenants with their crosstown rival, the Los Angeles Lakers. The Clippers received the fourth overall pick in the 1999 NBA draft, and selected small forward Lamar Odom from the University of Rhode Island. During the off-season, the team acquired Derek Anderson from the Cleveland Cavaliers, and acquired Eric Murdock from the New Jersey Nets.

Regular season With the addition of Odom and Anderson, the Clippers got off to a 4–7 start to the regular season. However, the team continued to struggle posting a nine-game losing streak afterwards, posting a 10-game losing streak in January, and then posting a 13-game losing streak in February, holding an 11–38 record at the All-Star break. Head coach Chris Ford was fired after an 11–34 start to the season, and was replaced with assistant coach Jim Todd as an interim coach; Ford would return coaching for the Philadelphia 76ers midway through the 2003–04 season. At mid-season, the team signed free agent Jeff McInnis, and then released Troy Hudson to free agency in March; Hudson averaged 8.8 points and 3.9 assists per game in 62 games. The Clippers then suffered a dreadful 17-game losing streak between March and April, finishing in last place in the Pacific Division with a league-worst 15–67 record.

Maurice Taylor averaged 17.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, while Anderson averaged 16.9 points and 1.4 steals per game, and Odom provided the team with 16.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.3 blocks per game, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. In addition, second-year forward Tyrone Nesby contributed 13.3 points per game, while second-year center Michael Olowokandi provided with 9.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game, and three-point specialist Eric Piatkowski contributed 8.7 points per game. Meanwhile, McInnis averaged 7.2 points and 3.6 assists per game in 25 games, Murdock contributed 5.6 points, 2.7 assists and 1.2 steals per game, but only played just 40 games due to injury, second-year center Brian Skinner averaged 5.4 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game, but only appeared in just 33 games, and Keith Closs provided with 4.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game.

During the NBA All-Star weekend at The Arena in Oakland in Oakland, California, Odom and Olowokandi were both selected for the NBA Rookie Challenge Game, as Odom was a member of the Rookies team, while Olowokandi was a member of the Sophomores team. Odom scored 15 points along with 8 rebounds and 2 blocks, as the Rookies defeated the Sophomores in overtime, 92–83. Odom also finished in third place in Rookie of the Year voting, behind co-winners Elton Brand of the Chicago Bulls, and Steve Francis of the Houston Rockets.

The Clippers finished 28th in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 559,714 at the Staples Center during the regular season, which was the second-lowest in the league; this was the first time since the 1992–93 season that the team did not have the lowest home-game attendance.

Aftermath Following the season, Anderson signed as a free agent with the San Antonio Spurs, while Taylor signed with the Houston Rockets, Murdock retired and Todd was fired as head coach.

Draft picks

Round Pick Player Position Nationality College 1 4 Lamar Odom SF/PF Rhode Island 2 31 Rico Hill F Illinois State

Roster

Roster Notes Point guard Troy Hudson was waived on March 27, 2000. Power forward Mario Bennett became the 7th former Laker to play with the crosstown rival Clippers. Power forward Pete Chilcutt played for the Clippers in two separate stints during the regular season; after playing for the Utah Jazz earlier in the season, he played for the Clippers on a 10-day contract in January, and was then released to free agency after it expired. He then played for the Cleveland Cavaliers on another 10-day contract, then released after that expired, and came back to the Clippers, who signed him for the remainder of the season.

Regular season

Season standings

z - clinched division title y - clinched division title x - clinched playoff spot

Game log

Player statistics

PlayerGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG Maurice Taylor 62 60 35.9 46.4 12.5 71.1 6.5 1.6 0.8 0.817.1 Derek Anderson 64 58 34.4 43.8 30.9 87.7 4.0 3.4 1.4 0.216.9 Lamar Odom 76 70 36.4 43.8 36.0 71.9 7.8 4.2 1.2 1.316.6 Tyrone Nesby 73 39 31.7 39.8 33.5 79.1 3.8 1.7 1.0 0.413.3 Michael Olowokandi 80 77 31.2 43.7 0.0 65.1 8.2 0.5 0.4 1.89.8 Troy Hudson 62 38 25.7 37.7 31.1 81.1 2.4 3.9 0.7 0.08.8 Eric Piatkowski 75 23 22.8 41.5 38.3 85.0 3.0 1.1 0.6 0.28.7 Jeff McInnis 25 10 23.9 43.0 33.3 76.5 2.9 3.6 0.6 0.17.2 Eric Murdock 40 15 17.3 38.5 38.1 63.8 1.9 2.7 1.2 0.15.6 Brian Skinner 33 9 23.5 50.7 0.0 66.2 6.1 0.3 0.5 1.35.4 Keith Closs 57 6 14.4 48.7 0.0 59.0 3.1 0.4 0.2 1.34.2 Charles Jones 56 0 11.8 32.8 33.1 73.9 1.1 1.7 0.5 0.13.4 Pete Chilcutt 24 2 14.5 49.2 31.3 100.0 3.3 0.7 0.4 0.33.0 Etdrick Bohannon 11 0 10.3 53.8 0.0 60.0 2.7 0.5 0.2 0.52.4 Anthony Avent 49 3 7.7 30.2 0.0 71.9 1.5 0.2 0.3 0.31.7 Marty Conlon 3 0 3.0 50.0 0.0 0.0 0.7 0.0 0.0 0.00.7 Mario Bennett 1 0 3.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.0 0.0 0.0 0.00.0

Player statistics citation:

Awards and records Lamar Odom, NBA All-Rookie Team, First Team

Transactions The Clippers have been involved in the following transactions during the 1999–2000 season.

Trades August 4, 1999 To Los Angeles Clippers Derek Anderson & Johnny Newman To Cleveland Cavaliers Lamond Murray August 8, 1999 To Los Angeles Clippers 2000 1st-round draft pick & 2002 1st-round draft pick To Atlanta Hawks Lorenzen Wright September 23, 1999 To Los Angeles Clippers Eric Murdock To New Jersey Nets Johnny Newman

Re-signed Player Signed Contract Lamond Murray August 4, 1999 7-year deal (sign & trade) Eric Piatkowski August 6, 1999 Four-year deal Lorenzen Wright August 8, 1999 7-year deal (sign & trade) Tyrone Nesby August 9, 1999 3-year deal (matched offer by San Antonio Spurs)

Additions

Player Signed Former team Anthony Avent October 4 Utah Jazz Charles R. Jones October 4 Chicago Bulls Marty Conlon December 17 Miami Heat Pete Chilcutt January 18 contract expired January 28 re-signed February 26 Utah Jazz Cleveland Cavaliers Jeff McInnis February 26 Quad City Thunder (CBA) Mario Bennett March 7 Chicago Bulls Etdrick Bohannon March 27 Washington Wizards

Subtractions Player Left New team Rodney Rogers free agency, August 3 Phoenix Suns Darrick Martin free agency, August 4 Sacramento Kings Stojko Vrankovic released, August 10 Fortitudo Pallacanestro Bologna (Serie B Basket) Pooh Richardson waived, September 9 Adecco Milano (Lega Basket Serie A) Sherman Douglas free agency, October 21 New Jersey Nets Charles C. Smith waived, October 28 Rockford Lightning (CBA) Marty Conlon waived, January 5 Jabones Pardo Fuenlabrada (Liga ACB) Mario Bennett contract expired, March 17 San Diego Wildfire (ABA) Troy Hudson waived, March 27 Orlando Magic

Player Transactions Citation:

References