LA Clippers · Franchise era 2 of 6
San Diego Clippers: the LA Clippers story
Franchise era
1978–79—1983–84
San Diego Clippers
LA Clippers
The story in one sentence
The move to San Diego brought entertaining scorers but little health, stability or winning.
A new name without a breakthrough
World B. Free, Swen Nater and Bill Walton gave the era its recognizable core.
Its ending created the conditions for the long los angeles struggle.
Timeline
How it unfolded
Before 1978–79
What came before
McAdoo won three scoring titles and an MVP as Buffalo reached three straight playoffs, but ownership instability undermined the momentum.
1978–79—1983–84
San Diego Clippers
The move to San Diego brought entertaining scorers but little health, stability or winning.
After 1983–84
What came next
The Clippers spent most of their first quarter-century in Los Angeles near the bottom, with brief respites around Manning and Brand.
The core