With kids like Miles ready to grab stardom, the Clippers' future looks good.

The Clippers and the word playoffs in the same sentence? Say it isn't so! But, Clippers fans really do have playoff fever, as evident by the responses we received to our feature.

In discussing the Clippers and our Summer Spotlight, we posed this question: Somewhere between this season, a few years from now and never, how many years before this is a playoff team? Here are your answers.

Your Clippers Feedback
I think the Clips are a few years away. Give the young 'uns (or young guns) a couple more seasons to mature and learn to play, let 'em grasp the cerebral side of the NBA game, and they could end up being quite competitive -- especially compared to the Clip teams of old. But now? Not quite, not in the heavy, heavy West. Making the playoffs -- and making a splash in the playoffs -- is a tall order. But if the trend of guys staying with the Clips continues, they could fill that order shortly.

Brian Koester
Charlotte, N.C.

I like what the Clippers have done by getting Elton Brand. I am picking them to be the eighth seed this year and make it back to the playoffs. With Brand's big body inside to take some heat off of the Kandi Man, look for a huge improvement in Olowokandi this season. Also, Jeff McInnis dropped 54 in a summer league game!! Not the regular season but still very impressive. I'm gonna be the first one on this Clip-wagon. I'm gonna check the Clippers out live when they come to town to play my playoff-bound Atlanta Hawks.
Kevin
Acworth, Ga.

This team is filled with "ifs", as it has been for many years now. IF Odom, Candy and Miles stay, IF everybody understands their role, IF Olowokandi starts putting up better numbers for his ability, IF Sterling's reputation changes.

These players need to understand that they need to grow as players first, they're so very young still. They need to understand the basics of the game first, as we can see from the poor foul shooting, bad three-point percentage and the ballhandling. This proves that these young players still worry more about dunking and fancy passing than taking care of business. It all comes down to controlling the fundamentals.

Then they need to come together as a team. Every player needs to understand their role, Brand can't get 20-10 every night anymore, Candy Man needs to focus on rebounding and inside scoring, Miles working on his passing. IF all of this happens then this team will be very athletic and fun to watch for years to come. Winning games brings the fans to the arena and fans bring more excitement to the games, thus making the Clips play a whole lot better. Just look at the Kings in '99, when C-Webb, J-Dub and Vlade came to town, started to play exciting ball and win ball games and now it's the loudest crowd in the NBA according to a lot of folks!!

So to conclude, I think that within three or four years this team will be a serious playoff contender, because then teams like Utah, San Antonio and maybe, just maybe, the Lakers are less of a threat.

Vince
Amsterdam, Netherlands

Don't kid yourself -- the Clippers are good enough to make the playoffs this year! The teams that will fall from grace in the West -- the Jazz, the Blazers, and the Suns... It might seem shocking, but one of those teams probably won't make the playoffs. Think about the lack of chemistry that Portland has -- and the uncertainty they have at center. The Jazz are old and were served notice by the Mavericks last year in the playoffs. The Suns traded the one player in Kidd who really made them a TEAM. As for the Sonics -- I think the word pathetic describes them pretty well, especially with the fact that they can't unload Baker and Payton and got nothing in return for Patterson's departure. The Nuggets are hopeless and won't make the playoffs. Even the Spurs can't feel all that great about themselves after losing Anderson and the utter disappearance of Robinson in the playoffs last season. I'd say the Clippers have every reason to feel good about themselves and their chances of making the playoffs.

Matt Kelly
Anchorage, Alaska

The league will continue to see improvement from the L.A. Clippers. With Brand, the Clippers now have a power forward that can get double figure rebounds and provide team leadership. I would not be surprised if the Clippers make the playoff this season. But in all honesty, I think they are one year away from the playoffs. They should win 40 to 45 games this season.

As ridiculous as this next statement may sound, it is highly possible. The Lakers should have a hometown rival to compete for the championship within the next three years. If the Clippers remain together and continue to add talent, a championship could be in the horizon.

James McClain
Lawrenceville, Ga.

How many years before this is a playoff team? Realistically, maybe only one or two. This takes into account the downfall of the old Jazz (I know its cliche, but it's GOTTA happen soon) and a few more other aging teams. With two years improvement without losing the current core, while building on it with a veteran or two next offseason, or at worst some high draft picks, there's no reason why this team can't be as good as Houston, Minnesota, maybe even Dallas.

The sky is the limit with this young exciting team.

Nathan Tozer
Adelaide, Australia

Yeah, Olowokandi isn't that great, but he is somewhat of a defensive presence in the paint. There are much worse centers in the league on great teams. But combine Odom (my favorite player ever since I drafted him in my fantasy basketball league when he was a rookie), Brand, and Miles on the same court and you could have a heck of a team. McInnis isn't a great point guard, but he will have fun passing to the big three. More than anything, I believe they just need a couple of good 3-point shooters to break out and a better free-throw percentage overall. That would put them over the hump to the playoffs. I say they squeeze in this year as a late seed.

Marty Knoblauch
Wichita, Kan.

I really think they can make it this year. Players as young and raw as Odom and Miles make huge strides each year. Add the balance and maturity of Brand, who could help Olowokandi progress, and they have a good shot at it.

The bigger question is, could they be a champion some day? To do so, Odom or Miles will have to become a superstar, which is always a big if; and they'll have to come up with better point play and outside shooting. Unfortunately, the Clips have never been any good at the nitty-gritty of team building: getting draft day steals (Keyon Dooling being picked that high?) and luring free agent role players.

Jean Paul Valley
Switzerland

I look for the Clippers to make the playoffs as the 8th seed not this season, but the next. I like the talent, the motivation, and I think they want people to recognize that there is more to L.A. basketball then just the Lakers. This is a team that you can tell wants to win and all they need is a little more maturity and experience because the will is there. Who knows? Maybe in years to come we may see a conference finals battle in the City of Angels.

Mark Layman
Phoenix, Ariz.

The Clips won't make it to the playoffs this year, as they won't have enough experience to have a great season from beginning to end. The Clippers will probably get off to a good start, but it might hurt their confidence after they get tromped by the Spurs on their first game. Look for a little losing streak in the middle of the season, but I think they'll win 40 games this season. Odom and Brand might even be All-Stars. You're right, the name "Clippers" has to go. How can you put fear into the opponent's eyes when you're introduced as the Los Angeles Clippers? When they change the name they might win a championship. This team will be in the playoffs in a year or two, it just depends on if the younger players have improved during the offseason. Certainly Darius has. The outside shooting has to improve, as well as free throws. Eric Piatkowski needs to pass the ball a little more and the Kandi Man needs to rebound and control the inside.

Rob
Santa Barbara, Calif.