Vinny Del Negro will not be back with the Los Angeles Clippers next season. His contract was up and the team decided not to bring him back.
Del Negro coached the team the last three seasons. They went 32-50 in his first season, 40-26 in his second season, and 56-26 this season.
The Clippers beat the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the NBA playoffs last year, but they lost to them in the first round this year.
Despite having success last season, there were questions about his job security going back to last year.
Del Negro has long been considered the weak link on a team with a talented roster. His substitution patterns are questionable, as was the way he managed some of his key reserve players in the playoffs this year. Moves such as having top bench player Jamal Crawford only play 12 minutes in a season-ending Game 6 loss to the Grizzlies were inexplicable and, when asked about the decision, Del Negro had little explanation. At various points throughout the season, the players seemed to express frustration with him as coach.
The firing of Del Negro should also give the Clippers a much better shot at retaining Chris Paul in free agency.
