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Lakers: Los Angeles Clippers Begin Search For New Arena Site

By Eric Yee

Apr 22, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; General view of the Staples Center before game five of the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Los Angeles Kings and the San Jose Sharks. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 22, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; General view of the Staples Center before game five of the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Los Angeles Kings and the San Jose Sharks. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Los Angeles Lakers’ roommate and younger brother, the LA Clippers, is now looking for a place he can finally call his own

Since being opened in 1999, STAPLES Center has served as home to the Los Angeles Lakers, Kings and Clippers but it appears that the latter are finally looking for a new site for an arena of their own.

Under contract until 2024, a move would still be over eight years away, which makes sense when you realize that arenas aren’t built overnight, just ask the LA Rams.

"In January 2013, the Clippers agreed to a 10-year extension of their lease that would keep the team at Staples Center until June 2024. Sources say any move by the Clippers would come after they fulfill the term of the current lease."

According to Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN, and confirmed later by Marc Stein, “the Clippers have begun to investigate potential new arena sites in L.A.”

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Interestingly enough, owner Steve Ballmer’s reason for wanting to move was understandable.

"Sources with knowledge of the Clippers’ lease agreement said that, in many regards, the team operates as Staples Center’s “third tenant,” a condition that’s becoming increasingly tiresome to the organization. The Clippers receives a smaller share of proceeds from suites and club seats than the Lakers and Kings, according to sources, and a lesser say in scheduling and the overall fan experience at the arena."

In 2015, Ballmer himself said,

"We’re third guy in, we have third choice in dates. If you are a good businessman, you don’t come to the end of your lease and say, ‘I have no options, landlord, please take me to the woodshed and beat me.’ We’ll have options."

Next: Steps the Lakers Can Take to Land Russell Westbrook

Though the Clippers organization would “neither confirm nor deny they are actively searching for a location,” the pieces look to already be in motion for a minor relocation of the Los Angeles Clippers.

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