1996–97 Los Angeles Clippers season

{{short description|NBA professional basketball team season}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{Infobox NBA season

| team = Los Angeles Clippers

| league = National Basketball Association

| end_year = 1997

| wins = 36

| losses = 46

| division = Pacific

| division_place = 5

| conf_place = 8

| coach = Bill Fitch

| arena = Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena
Arrowhead Pond

| owners = Donald Sterling

| television = KCAL-TV
(Ralph Lawler, Bill Walton)

| radio = KNNS
(Rory Markas)

| playoffs = West First Round
(lost to Jazz 0–3)

| bbr_team = LAC

}}

The 1996–97 NBA season was the Clippers' 27th season in the National Basketball Association, 13th in Los Angeles and 3rd in which they played occasional home games in Anaheim.[https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAC/1997.html 1996-97 Los Angeles Clippers] The Clippers had the seventh overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft, and selected Lorenzen Wright from the University of Memphis.{{cite news | last = Brown | first = Clifton | title = PRO BASKETBALL; Big Trade and Some Twists in N.B.A. Youth Parade | work = The New York Times | date = June 27, 1996 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1996/06/27/sports/pro-basketball-big-trade-and-some-twists-in-nba-youth-parade.html | access-date = July 12, 2022}}{{cite news | last = Heisler | first = Mark | title = The Surprises Are Few | work = Los Angeles Times | date = June 27, 1996 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-06-27-sp-22580-story.html | access-date = December 1, 2022}}{{cite news | last = Cotton | first = Anthony | title = For 76ers, Iverson Is No. 1 Choice | newspaper = The Washington Post | date = June 27, 1996 | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/longterm/memories/1996/nba/nbadraft.htm | access-date = July 25, 2021}}{{cite news | last = Bembry | first = Jerry | title = 76ers Make Iverson the 1, Philadelphia Takes Georgetown Guard; Camby Goes Second | work = The Baltimore Sun | date = June 27, 1996 | url = https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1996-06-27-1996179094-story.html | access-date = June 2, 2023}}{{cite web | title = 1996 NBA Draft | publisher = Basketball-Reference | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/NBA_1996.html | access-date = December 1, 2022}} During the off-season, the team signed free agents Darrick Martin,{{cite news | last = Baker | first = Chris | title = Clippers Sign Former Bruin | work = Los Angeles Times | date = September 20, 1996 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-09-20-sp-45746-story.html | access-date = July 17, 2022}}{{cite news | last = Baker | first = Chris | title = He's Tiny, But His Presence Is Huge | work = Los Angeles Times | date = February 11, 1997 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-02-11-sp-27485-story.html | access-date = November 8, 2022}} and former All-Star center Kevin Duckworth.{{cite news | last = Baker | first = Chris | title = They Cut to the Fat--Sign Duckworth | work = Los Angeles Times | date = October 11, 1996 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-10-11-sp-52869-story.html | access-date = July 17, 2022}}{{cite news | last = Baker | first = Chris | title = Long Season? Try an Eternity | work = Los Angeles Times | date = November 1, 1996 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-11-01-sp-60221-story.html | access-date = December 27, 2022}}

With the loss of Brian Williams to free agency, the Clippers were expected to sink in the bottom of the NBA again. After a 6–4 start to the regular season, the team lost ten of their next eleven games, as Duckworth only played just 26 games due to a sore heel injury, while Stanley Roberts only played just 18 games due to a back injury,{{cite news | last = Baker | first = Chris | title = Roberts Missing on Next Trip | work = Los Angeles Times | date = December 4, 1996 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-12-04-sp-5706-story.html | access-date = April 4, 2023}}{{cite news | last = Baker | first = Chris | title = Fitch Extends Holiday Break | work = Los Angeles Times | date = December 24, 1996 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-12-24-sp-12157-story.html | access-date = April 4, 2023}}{{cite news | last = Heisler | first = Mark | title = Wright Script, Wrong Result for Clippers | work = Los Angeles Times | date = December 28, 1996 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-12-28-sp-13184-story.html | access-date = October 13, 2021}} and second-year guard Brent Barry only played 59 games due to thumb and ankle injuries.{{cite news | last = Baker | first = Chris | title = Barry's Injured Thumb Put in a Cast | work = Los Angeles Times | date = October 18, 1996 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-10-18-sp-55139-story.html | access-date = November 9, 2022}}{{cite news | last = Baker | first = Chris | title = Thumb Injury Sidelines Barry | work = Los Angeles Times | date = October 22, 1996 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-10-22-sp-56416-story.html | access-date = November 9, 2022}}{{cite news | last = Baker | first = Chris | title = Barry Suffering Another Setback | work = Los Angeles Times | date = January 28, 1997 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-01-28-sp-22980-story.html | access-date = May 1, 2023}} However, despite the injuries, the Clippers held a 19–25 record at the All-Star break,{{cite web | title = NBA Games Played on February 6, 1997 | publisher = Basketball-Reference | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/?month=2&day=6&year=1997 | access-date = January 2, 2023}} and finished in fifth place in the Pacific Division with a 36–46 record, which was below .500 in winning percentage, but still good enough to qualify for the playoffs as the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference.{{cite web | title = 1996–97 Los Angeles Clippers Schedule and Results | publisher = Basketball-Reference | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAC/1997_games.html | access-date = June 21, 2021}}

Loy Vaught led the team with 14.9 points and 10.0 rebounds per game, while Malik Sealy averaged 13.5 points and 1.6 steals per game, and Rodney Rogers provided the team with 13.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. In addition, Martin contributed 10.9 points and 4.1 assists per game, and Wright provided with 7.3 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. Off the bench, Roberts averaged 9.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game, while Bo Outlaw provided with 7.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game, Barry contributed 7.5 points per game, and Lamond Murray contributed 7.4 points per game.{{cite web | title = 1996–97 Los Angeles Clippers Roster and Stats | publisher = Basketball-Reference | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAC/1997.html | access-date = June 21, 2021}} Outlaw also finished tied in seventh place in Sixth Man of the Year voting, and head coach Bill Fitch finished tied in sixth place in Coach of the Year voting.{{cite web | title = 1996–97 Regular Season Award Winners | website = Eskimo.com | url = https://www.eskimo.com/~pbender/misc/awards97.txt | access-date = January 5, 2025}}{{cite web | title = 1996–97 NBA Awards Voting | publisher = Basketball-Reference | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/awards_1997.html | access-date = January 5, 2025}}

However, in the Western Conference First Round of the playoffs, the Clippers were swept by the top-seeded Utah Jazz in three straight games.{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = Jazz Gets a Sweep of Its Own | work = The New York Times | date = April 29, 1997 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1997/04/29/sports/jazz-gets-a-sweep-of-its-own.html | access-date = May 13, 2022}}{{cite news | last = Plaschke | first = Bill | title = It's Over, But at Least There Is Hope Now | work = Los Angeles Times | date = April 29, 1997 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-04-29-sp-53548-story.html | access-date = May 30, 2022}}{{cite news | title = Jazz 104, Clippers 92 | publisher = United Press International | date = April 29, 1997 | url = https://www.upi.com/Archives/1997/04/29/Jazz-104-Clippers-92/7061862286400/ | access-date = November 25, 2022}}{{cite web | title = 1997 NBA Western Conference First Round: Clippers vs. Jazz | publisher = Basketball-Reference | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/1997-nba-western-conference-first-round-clippers-vs-jazz.html | access-date = February 4, 2023}} The Jazz would reach the NBA Finals for the first time, but would lose to the defending champion Chicago Bulls in six games.{{cite news | last = Wise | first = Mike | title = A Fistful of Rings: Bulls Grab Fifth Title of 90's | work = The New York Times | date = June 14, 1997 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1997/06/14/sports/a-fistful-of-rings-bulls-grab-fifth-title-of-90-s.html | access-date = June 4, 2022}}{{Cite news | last = Howard-Cooper | first = Scott | date = June 14, 1997 | title = Bulls Get Fifth Element | work = Los Angeles Times | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-06-14-sp-3291-story.html | access-date = July 25, 2022}}{{cite news | last = Johnson | first = K.C. | title = Bulls Got There, Because They'd Been There | work = Chicago Tribune | date = June 16, 1997 | url = https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1997-06-16-9706160169-story,amp.html | access-date = June 4, 2022}}{{cite news | last = Benson | first = Lee | title = Chicago Heartbreaker | work = Deseret News | date = June 14, 1997 | url = https://www.deseret.com/1997/6/14/19317754/chicago-heartbreaker | access-date = December 12, 2022}}{{cite web | title = 1997 NBA Finals: Jazz vs. Bulls | publisher = Basketball-Reference | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/1997-nba-finals-jazz-vs-bulls.html | access-date = February 4, 2023}} This would also be the Clippers' final playoff appearance until 2006.

Following the season, Sealy signed as a free agent with the Detroit Pistons,{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = Pistons Sign Sealy | work = The New York Times | date = August 26, 1997 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1997/08/26/sports/pistons-sign-sealy.html | access-date = January 15, 2022}}{{cite news | agency = Staff and Wire Reports | title = Robinson Takes Pay Cut to Sign with Suns | work = Los Angeles Times | date = August 26, 1997 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-aug-26-sp-25918-story.html | access-date = October 3, 2022}}{{cite news | last = Thompson | first = Jack | title = Suns Sign Clifford Robinson | work = Chicago Tribune | date = August 26, 1997 | url = https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1997-08-26-9708260145-story.html | access-date = January 28, 2023}} while Roberts was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves,{{cite news | last = Gardner | first = Kris | title = ARCHIVE: Houston Roundball Review NBA Trade Analyses -- 1997 NBA Draft Day Deals | work = The Houston Roundball Review | date = June 25, 1997 | url = https://www.thehrr.com/nba/trade_archive/062597draftdaydeals.html | access-date = September 25, 2023}}{{cite news | last = Howard-Cooper | first = Scott | title = Draft Over, But Not Finished | work = Los Angeles Times | date = June 26, 1997 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-06-26-sp-7001-story.html | access-date = January 15, 2022}}{{cite news | last = Howard-Cooper | first = Scott | title = Goodbye, Stanley, We Barely Knew You | work = Los Angeles Times | date = June 27, 1997 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-06-27-sp-7555-story.html | access-date = November 18, 2022}} Outlaw signed with the Orlando Magic,{{cite news | last = Baker | first = Chris | title = Just Like Magic, Versatile Outlaw Leaves Clippers | work = Los Angeles Times | date = September 6, 1997 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-sep-06-sp-29526-story.html | access-date = October 22, 2022}}{{cite news | title = Magic Corrals Outlaw | work = Tampa Bay Times | date = September 6, 1997 | url = https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1997/09/06/magic-corrals-outlaw/ | access-date = June 3, 2022}}{{cite news | title = Outlaw Breaks Free to Spark Magic | work = Orlando Sentinel | date = November 9, 1997 | url = https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1997/11/09/outlaw-breaks-free-to-spark-magic/ | access-date = September 25, 2023}} Terry Dehere signed with the Sacramento Kings,{{cite news | title = Barkley Is Cleared in Cleveland Brawl | newspaper = The Washington Post | date = August 2, 1997 | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1997/08/02/barkley-is-cleared-in-cleveland-brawl/fc6d6739-aece-4f2f-9eb7-febeb17d4f6e/ | access-date = August 3, 2023}}{{cite news | last = Popper | first = Steve | title = Two Guys from Jersey on Same Road Again | work = The New York Times | date = August 10, 1997 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1997/08/10/sports/two-guys-from-jersey-on-same-road-again.html | access-date = October 5, 2022}}{{cite news | title = Atlantic Division | work = Sun Sentinel | date = October 31, 1997 | url = https://www.sun-sentinel.com/1997/10/31/atlantic-division-5/ | access-date = December 25, 2023}} and Duckworth retired.