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The first run of “Lob City” may not have ended the way some within the Los Angeles Clippers organization would have liked but everyone understands its still a work in progress. With half the roster up for new contracts in the coming weeks and months, there’s also a good chance the team will have new look next season.

Before we look too far into the future though, let's look back at the Clippers’ roster last season and see how it graded out and how it will look moving forward.

We start off the grades with Trey Thompkins and Travis Leslie, the two rookies the Clippers drafted out of Georgia in the second round last year. Thompkins and Leslie were born two months apart, were selected 10 picks apart and sat one locker apart from each other. They had so much common, they even shared the same lack of playing time this season.

Trey Thompkins

2011-12 contributions: No one on the Clippers was a bigger consistent cheerleader on the bench than Thompkins, who could usually be found draped over the back of DeAndre Jordan or another teammate after a big dunk late in the game. He appeared in 23 games during the season and averaged 2.4 points and 1.0 rebounds in 5.0 minutes. His best game was during the Clippers’ 107-81 win over the Washington Wizards on Feb. 4 when he had 2 points, 7 rebounds and 1 blocked shot while playing the entire fourth quarter.

2012-13 prediction: Thompkins figures into the Clippers’ future plans fairly prominently as general manager Neil Olshey said the team would be in the market for a “stretch four” and Thompkins fits the bill in case they can't find one in free agency. He’s a versatile forward who can play inside and outside. He has a nice jump shot and was a consistent three-point shooter in practice. If the Clippers can’t land someone outside the current roster to fill that "stretch four" position, Thompkins could see himself in the regular rotation next season.

Grade: Incomplete

Travis Leslie

2011-12 contributions: It was a difficult rookie season for Leslie, who only played in 10 games and was assigned to the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA Development League for two separate stints before returning to the Clippers at the end of the season. While he didn’t want to be away from his teammates, Leslie made the most of his time in Bakersfield, averaging 12.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 21.0 minutes. While with the Clippers, Leslie only averaged 1.4 points, 0.9 rebounds and 0.5 assists in 4.5 minutes.

2012-13 prediction: Depending on what the Clippers do in free agency, it’s hard to see Leslie getting much more time in the rotation next season. He’s an athletic, albeit undersized shooting guard, who can finish at the basket and has been known to put on highlight reel plays in practice on par with Eric Bledsoe, but the Clippers are already two-deep at both guard positions. Leslie isn’t going anywhere but barring injuries or a trade, he’ll probably be spending a good amount of time on the bench again next season.

Grade: Incomplete

Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul was selected to the 2011-12 All-NBA First Team, the NBA announced Thursday. Paul becomes the first Clippers player since the team moved to Los Angeles in 1984 to be recognized with a first team selection and only the second in franchise history, joining Bob McAdoo in 1974-75 when the team was the Buffalo Braves.

Clippers forward Blake Griffin was named to the All-NBA Second Team, becoming the first Clippers player to do so since Elton Brand in 2006.

Paul received 74 first team votes in making the second All-NBA First Team selection of his career (2008). Paul led the league in steals per game (2.53) and finished third in assists per game (9.1), adding 19.8 points per game and 3.5 rebounds per game. This season, Paul became only the second player in NBA history to average at least 19.0 points, 9.0 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 2.0 steals. On Wednesday, Paul was named to the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team.

Griffin was selected to his first All-NBA Team this season after leading the Clippers in scoring (20.8 points per game) and rebounds (10.9 rebounds per game). Griffin was the only player in the NBA in 2011-12 to average over 20.0 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists. Griffin shot 54.9 percent from the field and finished the season fourth in the league with 41 double-doubles, sixth in rebounds, seventh in field goal percentage and tenth in scoring.

After a successful opening run, Lob City has officially closed its doors for summer construction. How it will look when it finally opens back up again in October is anybody’s guess, but it's clear this town needs to make a few changes before it can be considered a serious contender.

Here are eight key questions facing the Clippers this offseason.

1. What happens with Vinny Del Negro?

Del Negro's future has been a cloud lingering over the team since late March, when the Clippers lost three road games in three days. The coach was on the hottest of hot seats and looked as though he would lose his job with the team’s next loss. The Clippers then won six straight games, salvaging Del Negro’s job and their season.

Was the Clippers’ strong finish and first playoff series win in six years enough to save Del Negro’s job? Clippers general manager Neil Olshey wouldn’t discuss Del Negro’s job status during the team’s exit interviews, but he has until June 1 to decide whether to exercise the team option on Del Negro for next year. The bigger question may be which coach the team believes would appease Blake Griffin and Chris Paul, who will soon decide on their long-term futures. Are the Clippers better off sticking with Del Negro or making a run at one of the high-profile free-agent coaches like Phil Jackson, Jerry Sloan, Mike D'Antoni, Nate McMillan, Stan Van Gundy or Jeff Van Gundy? The smart money is on the Clippers sticking with Del Negro for one more season.

2. Will Paul and Griffin be with the Clippers for the long haul?

When questions about Paul and Griffin come up, Clippers front-office types like Olshey and team president Andy Roeser always use the term “Clipper for life.” It used to be a tag only worn by their longtime play-by-play man Ralph Lawler. After all, who would voluntarily chose to play with the Clippers forever and for Donald Sterling if they could go elsewhere?

That culture, however, has slowly begun to change, and much of that shift in philosophy has a lot to do with the presence of Griffin and Paul. If both believe they can be the cornerstones of a successful franchise, there is a good chance they will stay with the Clippers. There is no doubt the Clippers will offer both players max deals. The only question is whether they can do enough to convince Paul and Griffin that they will do everything possible to surround them with the players needed to contend for a championship.

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PLAYA VISTA, Calif. -- Here are exit interviews from Monday's media session with three Los Angeles Clippers who filled supporting roles for the 2011-2012 squad behind Blake Griffin and Chris Paul.

Guard Mo Williams came into the season expecting to be the team's starting point guard, then quickly found himself third on the pecking order in a matter of days. He reflected on those days and how the season turned out for him, and reiterated his plans to opt in on the final year of his contract for next season.

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PLAYA VISTA, Calif. -- Here are video interviews with Chris Paul and Blake Griffin of the Los Angeles Clippers at their last official meeting with the media of the 2011-2012 season.

Paul again took the blame for the Clippers being swept by the San Antonio Spurs in the second round of the NBA playoffs and promised to be better next year. He also reflected on what he admitted was a "tough season," playing 66 regular-season games and 11 playoff contests in a shorter span than normal.



Griffin, still wearing a bandage on his upper lip to protect the stitches he received after being hit by Tony Parker last night, said the Clippers' franchise has consistently moved in the right direction since drafting him three summers ago out of Oklahoma. He didn't specifically say he would sign the extension the team is sure to offer him this offseason, but did express confidence in where it is heading.

PLAYA VISTA, Calif. -- Here are video interviews with general manager Neil Olshey and head coach Vinny Del Negro of the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday at the Clippers' practice facility.

Olshey at first joked that he planned to be like a politician and say a lot of words but nothing of substance. Then he refused to get into Del Negro's job status going forward and revealed only some of his plans to fill out the Clippers' roster this offseason.



Del Negro also declined to discuss his future with the franchise but expressed a lot of hope for the team as a whole, saying the pieces were there to add to Blake Griffin and Chris Paul and build the team further.

Clippers guard Nick Young admitted it after Sunday's season-ending loss to the San Antonio Spurs: Before a week ago, he had never watched the Spurs play any elongated stretch of basketball.

"Nobody really watches the Spurs, man," Young said. "But sitting there on the court, getting a chance to really watch, I understand why Tim Duncan is one of the best power forwards to play this game and how good (Manu) Ginobili and (Tony) Parker really are.

"I got a chance to see it first-hand."

As did the rest of the Los Angeles Clippers. As a team, they all said pregame that the key to winning Sunday's Game 4 and extending the series at least one more game was to play with desperation. And they did that -- they really did. Chris Paul and Eric Bledsoe starred in the fourth quarter and nearly led them to the win.

Then why didn't they pull it off? According to center DeAndre Jordan, in the second round the Clippers ran into an immovable force in the San Antonio Spurs -- or at least a force they couldn't figure out how to move.

"We had a couple chances, but they were a better team," Jordan said after Sunday's 102-99 Game 4 loss, speaking about both the game and the series. "They know how to win.

"I felt like we played a great game today and we played hard. We just came up short again."

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LOS ANGELES -- Here is video of Blake Griffin and Chris Paul's postgame press conference following their season-ending 102-99 loss to the San Antonio Spurs in Sunday's Gane 4 at the Staples Center.

Paul spoke first and refused to claim any sort of moral victories in getting to the second round of the playoffs in his first season with the Los Angeles Clippers. He also said he "no question" feels confident in the Clippers' fortunes going forward.

"I think it's great that our team got a little taste of the playoffs," Paul said. "I think coming into camp next year we're gonna expect a lot more."

Griffin, sporting a bandage on his stitched upper lip, said similar things. Sure, the Clippers got swept by a Spurs team that hasn't lost in more than five weeks, but they still got swept, he said.

"They played extremely well, but that doesn't make us feel any better," he said. "There's nothing about that that you can feel good about."

LOS ANGELES -- Here's Los Angeles Clippers Vinny Del Negro's postgame press conference following his team's season-ending 102-99 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday at the Staples Center.

Del Negro admitted he was emotional to finish his second season at the helm of the Clippers but used much of the press conference to look forward to upcoming offseason and 2012-2013 season. He addressed the team's most immediate needs, saying shooters were the most important thing they need to add to the table.

"We have to do a good job moving forward of putting certain types of players in front of Chris (Paul) and Blake (Griffin)," Del Negro said. "That is the next step. I think that will help ease some of the strain and some of the the things he had to do to carry us at times, especially in the fourth quarters."

LOS ANGELES -- It seems like so long ago now that the Clippers put together their most memorable performance of the 2012 playoffs, a massive first-round comeback in which they pulled out an improbable 99-98 Game 1 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.

Three weeks ago today, the Clips did the unthinkable in Memphis, coming back from 27 points down and 21 at the end of three quarters to upset the Grizzlies. That victory buoyed L.A. into a series win and propelled them into a second-round matchup with the San Antonio Spurs, which has been decidedly less competitive.

Now, down 3-0 to the Spurs after Saturday's demoralizing come-from-ahead loss, the Clippers will essentially have to repeat their Memphis miracle for four straight games to stave off elimination.

That process begins Sunday at 7:30 p.m. at the Staples Center, where Game 4 is set to tip off between the two teams -- assuming the earlier Los Angeles Kings' hockey game doesn't go into overtime and cause a conflict.

The sense of urgency the Clippers displayed in the fourth quarter of Game 1 and throughout Game 7 is exactly the same sort of energy they need for Game 4. Basically, the entire roster has to be desperate to win, or the Clippers are going to get swept.

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LOS ANGELES -- San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has seen Chris Paul play enough times over his seven-year NBA career to feel comfortable declaring that Paul hasn't been himself this series.

Speaking following the Spurs' 96-86 win over Paul and the Clippers on Saturday at the Staples Center, Paul's third straight poor performance of the series, Popovich indicated his team has been lucky to go against Paul at less than his best.

“I don’t know what Chris will say, but I don’t think he’s 100 percent Chris Paul,” Popovich said. “I’m looking at him, and I know that kid. I know how he can play, and he’s not 100 percent.”

Popovich isn't the only one who thinks that. Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro has admitted that both Paul and forward Blake Griffin are battling injuries accumulated in the first-round series against Memphis, although he has steadfastly refused to speculate on the severity of either player's ailments.

For his part, Paul is trying to keep his strained right hip flexor at a low profile. Told of Popovich's comments in the locker room afterward, Paul interrupted an inquiring reporter and denied anything of the sort.

"I'm playing," he said. "I'm good. I'm good. I'm just not playing well, I gotta play better."

The first part of that is obviously true, and most would say the third part is as well. But the second is debatable. If he's indeed feeling "good," then how can you explain his three-game averages of just nine points and five-plus turnovers this series?

You can't, really. Outside of maybe San Antonio's overall dominance, Paul's struggles have been the single biggest reason why the Clippers have lost three straight to the Spurs in convincing fashion.

It's hard to win a playoff series against a top-seeded team when your top player is playing like a below-average one.

LOS ANGELES -- Here are Tony Parker and Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs after their 96-86 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday that gave them a 3-0 lead over the Clips in the teams' second-round series.

Parker said he understood why people were looking at the series like a matchup between him and the Clippers' Chris Paul but said he didn't think it was warranted. He also said he had "no idea" how healthy Paul has been in the first three games.



Duncan commended Blake Griffin for his heady play in the post on Saturday and said he didn't do anything different on him in the second half, when Griffin's production fell off dramatically. He credited local product Kawhi Leonard for a lot of the Spurs' success in Game 3.

LOS ANGELES -- Here's video from the Los Angeles Clippers' Chris Paul and Blake Griffin after their 96-86 loss to the San Antonio Spurs in Game 3 of the teams' second-round series at Staples Center on Saturday afternoon.

Paul did not come to the podium and spoke briefly in the team's locker room before making a quick exit. He denied any nagging injuries were the reason why he's played so poorly against the Spurs and said the Clippers might as well try to win four straight games now, even though it has never been done before.



Speaking at the podium, Griffin was complimentary of the way the Spurs won Saturday's game, and especially complimentary of Tim Duncan and Gregg Popovich's coaching style. If nothing else, he said, this series will be a good learning experience for the Clippers going forward.

ESPNLA.com reporters Pedro Moura and Arash Markazi preview what to watch for in Saturday's 12:30 p.m. PT Game 3 between the Clippers and Spurs at the Staples Center.

They discuss the status of injured Clippers Chris Paul and Blake Griffin and the biggest things the Clips did wrong in losing Games 1 and 2 in San Antonio. Then they provide their predictions for the two weekend games between the two teams.