NBA Rumors: Los Angeles Clippers exploring an arena in Inglewood

Since moving to the Staples Center in 1999, the Los Angeles Clippers have been in the shadow of the Lakers. However, Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer is trying to change that.

According to a Los Angeles Times report on Friday, representatives for Ballmer have contacted Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke’s representatives about joining the Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers in Inglewood.

According to the report, a new arena could be built on a sports and entertainment district with 298 available acres. However, Inglewood’s mayor, James T. Butts told ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne that a new basketball arena could result in a 18-month delay on the football stadium.

“To introduce another element in it would require city approval and an EIR (environmental impact report), and that would set the projects back by 18 months to two years,” Butts told Shelburne. “To add a basketball arena in there would stop everything right.”

Both the Clippers and Rams are currently declining to comment on the report by the LA Times.

Similar to the most recent Chargers, the Clippers moved to Los Angeles from San Diego back in 1984. They would make the Los Angeles Memorial Sports  Arena their home with occasional games at the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim until 1999.

The Clippers would join the Lakers and Los Angeles Kings in the newly built Staples Center in October 1999. While the Lakers and Kings brought star power and a winning atmosphere, the Clippers struggled to gain a strong fan base with continuous losing records.

Now, the Clippers bring in 19,000 per attendance a game to the Lakers’ and Kings’ 18,000. Ballmer has mentioned back in 2015 that he would like a more intimate, basketball-only arena.

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He could look for other options for a new location as the Clippers are building on their own legacy outside of being the second basketball team in Los Angeles. The Clippers’ lease in the Staples Center comes to an end in 2024.