Clippers: Chris Paul not to blame for dismissal of Vinny Del Negro

Gary Sacks, the Clippers’ vice president of basketball operations, wanted to make it clear that Chris Paul should not be taking any of the blame for Vinny Del Negro being let go, saying it was an “organizational decision.”

“It was my conclusion that a change needed to be made,” Sacks told the Los Angeles Times in a phone interview Friday.

Sacks was aware that Paul hasn’t been happy with the organization letting the All-Star point guard take all the heat for Del Negro not being retained.

Sacks said the decision not bring Del Negro back was made by him, owner Donald Sterling, President Andy Roeser and director ofbasketball operations Eric Miller, Sterling’s son-in-law.

“Ultimately, the decision was made by myself and the front office,” Sacks said. “It had nothing whatsoever to do with any players. It was an organizational decision the entire time, from the beginning to the end. All this other stuff that’s out there, to me, it’s just ridiculous.”

Sacks was told the “stuff out there” was the impression that either Paul or his agent, Leon Rose, played a role in Del Negro’s dismissal.

“We all felt that in order for us to get to where we need to go, that we needed a change and a new coach,” Sacks said. “Every personnel and coaching decision that we’ve made is us as an organization.”

Paul will be a free agent on July 1. The Clippers plan on offering him a maximum contract of five years for $107.3 million. Another team can offer Paul a maximum contract of four years and $79.7 million.

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