Established
1970
City
Buffalo – San Diego – Los Angeles
League History
1970 – Present / National Basketball Association
Team History
1984 – Present / Los Angeles Clippers
1978 – 1984 / San Diego Clippers
1970 – 1978 / Buffalo Braves
Nickname
Clippers – The Los Angeles Clippers have one of the unique nicknames in all professional sports. But how did they come to be known as "Clippers"? The answer lies in the team's roots, which date back to 1970 when it was founded as part of a merger between two other teams – the Buffalo Braves and the San Diego Rockets.
Los Angeles Clippers Origin
At that time, there were two primary sources for ships carrying goods across oceans: steamboats and clipper ships. Clippers were renowned for their speed and agility on open waters, so when former owner Donald Sterling decided on a nickname for his newly formed NBA franchise, he chose “Clippers” because it represented power and grace—two qualities he wanted his team to embody on the court.
Over time, this moniker has become synonymous with success; years later, the LA Clippers remains one of basketball’s premier franchises year after year! From Hall-of-Famers like Blake Griffin & DeAndre Jordan leading them into battle each night at Staples Center or legendary coaches like Doc Rivers guiding them from the sidelines—the Los Angeles Clippers is an organization that stands proud amongst its peers throughout league history!
Championship
NBA Championships 0
Arena
1999 – Present / Staples Center
1984 – 1999 / Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena
*San Diego*
1978 – 1984 / San Diego Sports Arena
*Buffalo*
1970 – 1978 / Buffalo Memorial Auditorium
Owner
2014 – Present / Steve Balmer
1981 – 2014 / Donald Sterling
1978 – 1981 / Irv Levin
1976 – 1978 / John Y. Brown, Jr.
1970 – 1976 / Paul Snyder
- 1984
- 1999
- 2011
- 2014
- 2015
-
Donald Sterling and Move to LA
The 1981 – 1982 season brought changes to the franchise as Irv Levin sold the team to Los Angeles-area real estate developer and attorney Donald Sterling for US$12.5 million. The Clippers’ poor play in the final years in San Diego resulted in averaging only 4,500 fans a game. Sterling lobbied the NBA to relocate the team to his native Los ... -
Move to Staples Center
From 1994 to 1998, the Clippers played several games at Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim, sharing the venue with the NHL’s Mighty Ducks and the Splash indoor soccer team. In 1999, the Clippers joined the Lakers and Los Angeles Kings in the new Staples Center in Downtown Los Angeles. In sharing the building with other tenants, such as the highly popular ... -
Chris Paul a Clipper
On December 14, 2011, they traded Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman, Al-Farouq Aminu, and Minnesota’s 2012 first-round pick acquired in 2005 for New Orleans Hornets’ four-time all-star Chris Paul. Paul had previously almost been traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, but NBA commissioner David Stern had vetoed the trade. Paul and Griffin were selected as starters for the Western Conference team ... -
Fall of Donald Sterling
On April 29, 2014, the NBA issued Sterling a lifetime ban from the organization after a league investigation into the recording confirmed that he was the one conversing with Stiviano. The league also issued a $2.5 million fine against Sterling, the highest allowable by the NBA, and barred him from attending games or practices involving any NBA team; being present ... -
Steve Ballmer $2 Billion Purchase
On May 27, 2014, Steve Ballmer, former CEO of Microsoft, agreed to purchase the team for $2 billion. To buy the team, Ballmer reportedly beat out other candidates including Oprah Winfrey, Floyd Mayweather, Magic Johnson, and a group of crowdfunders. Although Ballmer lives in the Seattle area and had been part of an ownership group that had unsuccessfully attempted to ...
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Los Angeles Clippers History
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Retired Number
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