IN A wide-ranging interview touching on the future Clippers status of Elton Brand, Corey Maggette and Sam Cassell, he made it clear he has no interest finishing this season with a lottery pick, and expects the Clippers to still be successful despite a 12-25 start.
"I think we can absolutely win this year," he said. "If we could bring in one quality player in a trade, it could change the whole chemistry of the team."
The Clippers' future appears bright if Brand and Shaun Livingston recover fully from injuries, some suggesting it might be best now to get rid of a veteran such as Cassell at the trading deadline, and get younger.
"I want to win and I'm more interested in winning than the lottery," Sterling said. "Our fans are entitled to see our players busting their butts to win. If Sam Cassell or anybody else can help us, whether it's for a month, a year or five years, I want them to help us."
Brand and Maggette will have the chance to opt out of their contracts and become free agents at the end of the season, but Sterling said he's not concerned.
"One, based on my conversation with Elton, he's not going to opt out," said Sterling. "And two, whatever he asks for, I think he deserves. He is our franchise player, we need him. You saw a short time ago we were pretty close to being a special team, and now without him you see how difficult it is."
Brand is due to earn more than $16 million next season, while Maggette, who is scheduled to earn $7 million, has already turned down a $8.5-million-a-year deal from the Clippers.
"I like Maggette, Elgin likes Maggette," Sterling said. "I'd like to keep Maggette, but if the coach could get a better player, how could you tell a coach, whose whole life and future are at stake, you can't have a better player?
"Is anybody going to offer a better player for Maggette?" he asked. "Frankly, I doubt it. I would expect Brand and Maggette to be with us their entire careers."
WHEN HE mentioned rookie Al Thornton, he said he can be special if "he gets some coaching." He said Maggette would be a better player with "aggressive coaching," and obviously Dunleavy won't have to read between the lines to get the message.
Sterling said Dunleavy would be a better coach if Brand and Livington were healthy, but he doesn't want to hear about the black cloud hanging over the team right now.
