Report: Steve Ballmer will pay any cost to keep Paul and Griffin

According to Steve Ballmer, no price is too high when it comes to re-signing Chris Paul and Blake Griffin.

Next July, both Paul and Griffin will be eligible to exercise their early-termination options and become free agents. As the championship drought grows longer for the Clippers, the question arises: should Paul and Griffin stay in Lob City?

The player and coaching talent is there, but an uncanny run of playoff injuries keeps stopping the Clippers from being relevant in the playoffs. As both stars grow older and more fragile, the pressure to win fast or rebuild entirely will continue to grow. Steve Ballmer, however, is not interested in the second course of action. According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, Ballmer is “committed to keeping both Paul and Griffin long term, no matter what it costs.”

The Clippers will no doubt offer Paul and Griffin maximum contracts when the time comes. The question then becomes whether they will want to stay or not. Both have strong roots in L.A., and it’s hard to imagine that jumping ship at this point will work out well for either of them.

With DeAndre Jordan they have a powerful big three that is a pick-and-roll nightmare for defenses. J.J. Redick and Jamal Crawford headline a supporting cast that can shoot and space the floor. They have all the pieces for a championship run. The stars just have to stay healthy.

On the other hand, it’s been six years of stagnation for this Clippers core. Even Doc Rivers is aware that time is running out. In an interview with Zach Lowe before the beginning of last season he summed up the situation: “We’re right on the borderline. I have no problem saying that. I’m a believer that teams can get stale. After a while, you don’t win. It just doesn’t work. We’re right at the edge. Oklahoma City is on the edge. Memphis, too. We just have to accept it.”

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If Ballmer is as serious as he says he is about keeping the current roster intact, then these Clippers might have a couple more good runs in them. But the minute Paul or Griffin decide they want a change of scenery, it’s back to the drawing board.