The 2001–02 Los Angeles Clippers season was the 32nd season for the Los Angeles Clippers in the National Basketball Association, and their 18th season in Los Angeles, California.

Season summary

Off-season The Clippers received the second overall pick in the 2001 NBA draft, and selected center and high school basketball star Tyson Chandler; however, the team soon traded Chandler to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Elton Brand on draft day.

Regular season With the addition of Brand, the Clippers played their best basketball with a 15–11 start as of December 22, 2001. The team began to fall under .500 in winning percentage, but still played competitive basketball through most of the first half of the regular season, holding a 25–26 record at the All-Star break. However, the team dealt with injuries, as Lamar Odom only played just 29 games due to a wrist injury, and second-year guard Keyon Dooling only appeared in just 14 games due to an ankle injury. After holding a 36–33 record in mid-March, the Clippers struggled and lost 10 of their final 13 games of the season, finishing in fifth place in the Pacific Division with a 39–43 record, which was ninth place in the Western Conference; the team failed to qualify for the NBA playoffs for the fifth consecutive year, and finished five games behind the 8th–seeded Utah Jazz.

Brand averaged 18.2 points, 11.6 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game, while Jeff McInnis provided the team with 14.6 points and 6.2 assists per game, and second-year guard Quentin Richardson played an increased role as the team's sixth man off the bench, averaging 13.3 points per game, and leading the Clippers with 133 three-point field goals. In addition, Corey Maggette contributed 11.4 points per game, while Odom averaged 13.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game, Michael Olowokandi provided with 11.1 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game, second-year forward Darius Miles averaged 9.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game, and three-point specialist Eric Piatkowski contributed 8.8 points per game and 111 three-point field goals.

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the First Union Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Brand was selected for the 2002 NBA All-Star Game, as a member of the Western Conference All-Star team; it was his first ever All-Star appearance. Meanwhile, Richardson participated in the NBA Three-Point Shootout, and was also selected along with Miles for the NBA Rookie Challenge Game, as members of the Sophomores team. Brand also finished tied in 16th place in Most Valuable Player voting, while Richardson finished in third place in Sixth Man of the Year voting; Olowokandi finished tied in seventh place in Most Improved Player voting, and head coach Alvin Gentry finished tied in seventh place in Coach of the Year voting.

The Clippers finished 13th in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 740,185 at the Staples Center during the regular season.

Aftermath Following the season, Miles was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and McInnis signed as a free agent with the Portland Trail Blazers.

Draft picks

Round Pick Player Position Nationality College / Club Team 1 2 Tyson Chandler (traded to Chicago) PF/C

Roster

Roster Notes The Clippers received shooting guard Vinny Del Negro from the Phoenix Suns in a trade early in the season, but he did not play for the team as he was quickly waived. He did come back and became the team's head coach from 2010 to 2013.

Regular season

Season standings

Game log

Player statistics

PlayerGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG Elton Brand 80 80 37.8 52.7 0.0 74.2 11.6 2.4 1.0 2.018.2 Jeff McInnis 81 80 37.4 41.3 32.1 83.6 2.6 6.2 0.8 0.114.6 Quentin Richardson 81 0 26.6 43.2 38.1 76.5 4.1 1.6 1.0 0.313.3 Lamar Odom 29 25 34.4 41.9 19.0 65.6 6.1 5.9 0.8 1.213.1 Corey Maggette 63 52 25.6 44.3 33.1 80.1 3.7 1.8 0.7 0.311.4 Michael Olowokandi 80 79 32.1 43.3 0.0 62.2 8.9 1.1 0.7 1.811.1 Darius Miles 82 6 27.2 48.1 15.8 62.0 5.5 2.2 0.9 1.39.5 Eric Piatkowski 71 64 24.2 43.9 46.6 89.4 2.6 1.6 0.6 0.28.8 Earl Boykins 68 2 11.2 40.0 31.0 77.0 0.8 2.1 0.3 0.04.1 Keyon Dooling 14 0 11.1 38.6 28.6 83.3 0.2 0.9 0.3 0.24.1 Tremaine Fowlkes 22 17 15.6 39.1 0.0 77.4 2.9 0.8 0.5 0.03.4 Sean Rooks 61 2 11.9 41.8 0.0 72.4 2.0 0.4 0.2 0.33.0 Doug Overton 18 0 7.2 31.8 25.9 57.1 0.7 0.7 0.2 0.12.2 Harold Jamison 25 2 7.0 51.2 0.0 66.7 1.6 0.2 0.2 0.02.2 Obinna Ekezie 29 1 5.2 33.3 0.0 70.0 1.2 0.1 0.1 0.21.9 Eldridge Recasner 5 0 6.2 33.3 0.0 100.0 0.0 1.0 0.2 0.01.0

Player statistics citation:

Awards, records and milestones

All-Star Elton Brand selected as a reserve forward for the Western Conference All-Stars. Brand was chosen as a replacement for the injured Shaquille O'Neal on the roster. He is the first Clipper All-Star since Danny Manning was selected in 1994.

Transactions The Clippers were involved in the following transactions during the 2001–02 season.

Trades June 26, 2001 To Los Angeles Clippers Cash considerations To Philadelphia 76ers 2001 2nd round draft pick June 27, 2001 To Los Angeles Clippers Elton Brand To Chicago Bulls Brian Skinner & draft rights to Tyson Chandler October 29, 2001 To Los Angeles Clippers Will Perdue To Portland Trail Blazers Draft rights to Doron Sheffer November 16, 2001 To Los Angeles Clippers Vinny Del Negro and cash considerations from the Phoenix Suns as part of a three-team trade with the Orlando Magic To Orlando Magic 2005 second-round draft pick

Free agents

Additions

Player Signed Former team Harold Jamison September 28 Miami Heat Obinna Ekezie September 28 Dallas Mavericks Eldridge Recasner December 20 waived January 7 re-signed January 10 Charlotte Hornets Tremaine Fowlkes February 23 Columbus Riverdragons (NBDL) Doug Overton March 16 New Jersey Nets

Subtractions Player Left New team Keith Closs waived, May 4 Pennsylvania ValleyDawgs (USBL) Cherokee Parks free agency, August 3 San Antonio Spurs Zendon Hamilton free agency, September 29 Denver Nuggets Will Perdue waived, October 29 Basketball commentator & analyst for ESPN Derek Strong waived, October 29 Columbus Riverdragons (NBDL) Vinny Del Negro waived, November 16 Phoenix Suns (radio commentator) Eldridge Recasner contract expired, January 29 Charlotte Hornets

Player Transactions Citation:

References