Matt Barnes wants the Los Angeles Clippers to change their name, calling the franchise “cursed” after another troubled offseason.
The former Clippers forward spoke with TMZ Sports at Brandon Watson’s annual celebrity charity softball game. The outlet published the interview on October 8.
Barnes said he had suggested a new name to Steve Ballmer when the billionaire bought the team in 2014, recalling that “everyone kind of laughed at me,” as quoted by the New York Post.
Ballmer publicly addressed the naming question in June 2015, during the team’s first major branding campaign under his ownership.
Ballmer Wanted to Keep the History Behind the Name
“I decided I didn’t want to change the name,” Ballmer said in an official team interview. He associated the Clippers identity with a team and people who had battled through adversity.
The organization introduced redesigned logos and uniforms, adding black to its familiar red, white and blue colors. He appeared on Conan to unveil the new look, then handed out cupcakes and team merchandise at Sprinkles in downtown Los Angeles. Coach Doc Rivers joined the promotion at Pink’s Hot Dogs.
Commissioner Adam Silver banned Donald Sterling for life in April 2014 after an investigation into a recording containing racist remarks. The league also fined him $2.5 million and moved toward forcing a sale. Ballmer completed his purchase that August for a reported $2 billion.
Barnes had welcomed the impending ownership change in a separate TMZ interview published in June 2014. He said he and his teammates were happy to “put that situation behind us” and return their attention to basketball.
The Intuit Dome Redesign Embraced the Clippers’ Maritime Roots
In February 2024, the Clippers announced another redesign ahead of their move into Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. The new identity introduced naval blue, ember red and Pacific blue, along with revised uniforms, court graphics and logos.
The primary emblem features an oncoming ship with basketball seams on its hull, surrounded by compass points inside the letter C. The redesign accompanied the team’s departure from the arena it shared with the Lakers for its own venue, which opened later that year.
The Buffalo Braves became the San Diego Clippers after relocating in 1978, taking their new name from sailing ships associated with San Diego Bay, according to the team’s official history. The franchise retained the nickname when it moved to Los Angeles in 1984.
For the 2024-25 season, the organization moved its developmental affiliate from Ontario, California, to Oceanside and revived the San Diego Clippers name, with games at Frontwave Arena, according to the NBA G League.
The NBA Investigation Brought Financial Penalties and Suspensions
On September 2, the NBA announced that an independent investigation by Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz had found the Clippers violated rules against circumventing the salary cap through outside business arrangements involving Kawhi Leonard.
The league said the team facilitated endorsement opportunities between Leonard and four companies doing business with the franchise: Aspiration Partners, Boingo Wireless, Daktronics and Lockton Insurance. Investigators found that the Clippers offered team business to encourage those arrangements and paid personal expenses for Leonard and his representatives.
The NBA fined the organization $30 million and stripped it of one first-round draft pick in each year from 2029 through 2033. Ballmer was suspended from team and league activities for one year. President of Business Operations Gillian Zucker received a one-year unpaid suspension, while President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank was suspended without pay for six months.
Leonard was required to pay $700,000. His former business representative, Dennis Robertson, was barred for five years from conducting business with NBA teams and their affiliates on behalf of players or league and team personnel. The Clippers were also placed under a five-year compliance and monitoring program.
In a September 13 statement, Ballmer apologized to fans, employees and fellow owners, accepted responsibility for the disruption and said the franchise had paid the fine. He confirmed that the organization would comply with the penalties while maintaining that disagreements over the findings remained.
Leonard’s Trade Brought Ingram to Los Angeles
The Clippers traded Leonard to Toronto on September 14, receiving Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two future first-round picks, two second-round picks and a first-round pick swap. Leonard returned to the franchise he helped lead to its first NBA championship in 2019.
The Associated Press reported September 28 that Ingram would miss the start of the season while recovering from right heel surgery that also addressed a partially torn Achilles tendon. No return timetable was announced. Bradley Beal was also dealing with knee inflammation after earlier hip surgery.
Max Strus subsequently suffered a partial tear of his right plantar fascia during a preseason game against Golden State. An October 6 report from Field Level Media, published by Reuters, said he would miss at least four weeks.
Clippers Officials Apologized to Fans at Media Day
“Our fans deserve to hear from us before this, and for that we’re sorry,” interim president of basketball operations Trent Redden said at the team’s September 28 media day, according to the Los Angeles Times. He said the team had been listening to fans’ concerns and needed to regain their trust.
Coach Tyronn Lue said he remained committed to the franchise and praised the players for continuing to work together during the offseason. Darius Garland, entering his first full season with the Clippers, said his priority was winning games.
Los Angeles attorney John S. Gibson is serving as interim governor. Redden said the basketball staff would continue evaluating potential moves through its existing process, with Gibson providing the final approval for trades that would previously have gone to Ballmer, as ESPN reported.