Clippers Owner Donald Sterling: Vinny Del Negro’s Job Not in Danger


Despite numerous published reports that Clippers head coach Vinny Del Negro had lost the confidence of his players, and that he was in danger of getting fired, his boss says that Vinny has nothing to worry about. Reports the LA Times: “Clippers owner Donald Sterling said before the team’s Monday night game against the New Orleans Hornets that he hasn’t given any thought to making a coaching change. And he sees no reason why Vinny Del Negro won’t be the team’s coach for the remainder of the season. ‘I like him,’ said Sterling. ‘I usually follow the advice of my people, and I think they care for him, like him and want him to succeed. And I think he will.’ An Internet report that suggested Del Negro ‘has lost the team’ and players no longer ‘want to play hard for him’ sparked speculation the coach was another loss or two from being fired. ‘I don’t know where all these stories are coming from; nobody talked to me,’ Sterling said. ‘Everything is good. Would I like more wins? I’d like more. I’d like the players to develop more; I’d like to play better. But then I have great expectations, and to a certain extent they’ve been realized. To some extent they haven’t, but I’m a patient guy.'”