CHICAGO, December 19, 2011 – When the Clippers completed their second blockbuster trade for Chris Paul earlier this week, the trade that happened, many eager fans instantly declared them title contenders while the inevitable naysayers (looking at you, Lakers fans) claimed that the Clippers still don’t have the depth to be true champions.

The Lakers fans are right, but really, who cares? Besides, the world still isn’t ready to think of the Clippers as title contenders. It will take a few years to cope with that shock.

The Clippers just pulled of the greatest offseason in their history. For the first time in their 40 year existence, the worst franchise in American sports is going to be a legitimate title contender, if not this year then next. They have two franchise players that are about to set the league on fire and take the title of Staples Center Kings away from the aging Lakers for the first time in the Clips’ 24 year tenure at the arena.

So what if they don’t win a championship this year; is all this not enough to get excited about for a team that’s amassed a grand total of six winning seasons?

The Lakers fans, or any prototype anti-Clippers, are arguing that the lack of any depth in the frontcourt will lead to the Clippers’ downfall this year. While this is true, there certainly isn’t any shortage of time for the Clippers to pick up some more big men, and the Clippers have a bounty of point guards that teams like the Memphis Grizzlies would love. A combination of time and money is as good for the Clippers as it is for anyone, and the opportunity to play with Paul and Blake Griffin should be plenty to lure in a few backup bigs.

These Clippers are providing their fans with their first dose of realistic optimism since the early '90s, and that’s all that could be asked for. With a core group of Blake Griffin, Chris Paul, DeAndre Jordon, Chauncey Billups and Caron Butler, the Clippers have more than a legitimate shot at a top four seed in the Western Conference, and that’s before they make any more moves to deal with the aforementioned depth issues. The Clippers will be aided by the decline of the Spurs, the Mavericks’ questionable offseason and several key Nuggets going to China as much as their own improvement, and with those three dropping, it’s hard to see the Clips not making the tournament.

These Clippers don’t have any playoff experience to be sure—hardly any Clippers teams ever did—but they should be able to take a lesson from last year’s Bulls and learn that a respectable playoff run can be put together from youth and talent alone. It won’t be enough to get to the next level, but in Clipperland, a winning record is the next level. If their superstars stay healthy in the condensed season, this team has as much potential to surprise the perennial big dogs as anyone.

Even if Blake Griffin doesn’t find himself being backed up by a decent big man, the Clippers are an unquestionable threat this season. Think of them as last season’s Knicks; a key difference being that some of these guys play defense.

If the Clippers can just add a few more pieces in the NBA-Players-Finally-Able-To-Return-From-China Free Agency Lottery/Trade Bonanza, they’ll be actual title contenders for a long time to come. The Clippers will be title contenders. That is not a typo, it really isn’t. But if they just stay with this team, they’ll be one of the most exciting teams in the game, which is music to the ears of any loyal Clippers fan.

To contact Nick Goralka, see above to send him an e-mail containing a  question, comment, or scathing insult. His work appears in Alley-oops for Touchdowns! in the Communities at the Washington Times Online.

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