J.A. Adande, ESPN.com: No way. The Western Conference isn't going to get caught up watching those CP3-to-Griffin lobs. The Clippers need to experience the pain of a playoff loss -- or losses -- before they are ready to challenge for a title. That's the way it works in the NBA.
Marc Stein, ESPN.com: No. Not without a better bench and another quality big man. Not until they actually have some time to mesh and taste the experience of a deep playoff run, too. But they've already snagged the title of Most Watchable Team in the NBA on this scorecard ... before a single lob is thrown.
Tim Legler, ESPN: Yes. To me, "contender" means top four in your conference. The Clippers can get there this year if their core stays healthy. With a point guard like Paul leading them on the floor, a star scorer and rebounder like Griffin, a young dynamic center in Jordan, and veteran additions like Chauncey Billups and Caron Butler, the Clippers window of opportunity starts now!
Ric Bucher, ESPN The Magazine: No. Defense remains a vital component to playing for titles and the Clippers don't have a single player who can dominate his position defensively. They're going to be better, not among the best.
Beckley Mason, HoopSpeak: No. This team might have a championship level offense next year, but I still thing their young frontcourt has too far to come defensively for them to reach the Finals. Also, I simply can't fathom a world in which Vinny Del Negro coaches the best team in the league.
Daniel Nowell, Magic Basketball: Yes. They're not the best team in the West, and not a sure bet for a deep playoff run, but they have more than a puncher's chance against any team in the league with Paul's savvy and the talent around him. That's called contending.
Arash Markazi, ESPN Los Angeles: No. The Clippers are a good playoff team. They have four point guards and very little depth on the front line right now. When you take into account players like Chris Paul, Caron Butler and Blake Griffin have missed significant time due to injury during their careers you can't expect their starting lineup, as stacked as it looks, not to get hit during a condensed season.
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Jose Roberto Zaracho Zarate: In my opinion they're not yet. Even the Miami Big 3 and the Knicks with Melo, Amare and Chauncey couldn't win a ring in the first season they got together. So I don't think the Clips could get it done this season. There's a high-risk on Butler getting injured for a long time again this season.
Scoop Jackson, ESPN.com: No. They have to figure out (the always omnipresent and obligatory): Who's team this is? They are still in need of a defensive specialist/stopper for series against Dallas, the Lakers and Thunder. As long as they play in those hideous scripted lettered unis, they can never be taken seriously.
Tom Haberstroh, Heat Index: Yes. Remember: the Clippers aren't done dealing. With a glut of point guards, they can upgrade at the 2 by the trade deadline (Eric Bledsoe for J.J. Redick?). Also: did anyone predict the Mavericks would win it all before playoffs started? No, but was it seen as possible? Same goes for Lob City.
Jeremy Schmidt, Bucksketball: No. If a team isn't jam packed with stars, and despite Paul's addition, the Clippers still only have two, they better have the chemistry of the Dallas Mavericks last season. The Clippers don't have enough experience playing together to make up for their lack of a third star. And a 66-game schedule won't give them enough time to gel.
Andrew Kamenetzky, ESPN Los Angeles: No. Too many good teams in the West and too many question marks, including how Blake Griffin will perform in his first postseason. But, I bet they'll be a scary draw.
Brian Kamenetzky, ESPN Los Angeles: Yes, but on the fringes and thanks to flexibility in acquiring more pieces. Right now they're a solid playoff team with potential for more. But think what it means to even ask the question for a feature not attached to an article in The Onion. Incredible moment for the Clippers.
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Ethan Conway: The Clippers will be able to contend this year. I think they are comparable to the Bulls last year. You have a top-five point guard, an All-Star power forward in Griffin (who by the way is better than Boozer and still hasn't reached his ceiling), a good all-around center, a playmaking small forward, and veteran talent off of the bench. Not championship caliber yet, but a contender.
Keith M. Lipscomb, ESPN.com: Yes, because I define a contender as a team that's among the top three or four in its conference. The Clippers now have an elite point guard and power forward, an athletic defensive force in Jordan and strong veterans like Billups, Butler and even Foye (who I think is being somewhat forgotten) to help expedite the process of coming together as a team.
Colin McGowan, Cavs: The Blog: No. The Clips have the best point guard in the league (Paul), a great young forward (Griffin), a solid starting center (Jordan), and deficiencies everywhere else. The addition of CP3 is a start, but not nearly enough to overcome the Lakers, Thunder, Heat, Celtics, or Bulls come playoff time.
Henry Abbott, ESPN.com: Yes. Fear Chris Paul. (Bill Russell was undersized and banged up, too.) Last year's Hornets made noise, and these Clippers are better at every position except coach. Paul and Blake Griffin could -- like Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire and the Wonder Twins before them -- combine to have magical powers.
John Hollinger, ESPN.com: Not serious ones, no. They're a Western Conference playoff team right now, and presuming they trade Mo Williams for a real shooting guard they will be in the heap of teams vying for seeds 3 through 8 in that conference, just like we have every year. But I don't think this has Miami or Oklahoma City quaking in their boots.
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