LOS ANGELES -- Natutuwa si coach Vinny Del Negro sa breakthrough season ng Los Angeles Clippers bagama’t hindi niya sigurado kung kasama pa siya sa team sa susunod na season.
Mag-e-expire ang kontrata ni Del Negro ngayong summer matapos ang tatlong seasons sa Clippers na hindi pa siya sinasabihan kung patuloy siyang magi-ging coach ng team.
Inihatid niya ang Clippers sa club-record na 56 panalo at sa kanilang unang Pacific Division title ngayong season, ngunit natalo ang Clippers sa Memphis sa 6-games sa kanilang first round playoff match.


Inaasahang magdedesisyon ang Clippers ukol kay Del Negro sa mga susunod na araw ngunit walang nakakaalam kung ano ang mangyayari pagkatapos ng meeting ni Del Negro at vice president of basketball operations Gary Sacks kay team owner Donald Sterling.


“You’re going to have your ups and downs during the season - injuries, some tough losses - but we’ve set every franchise record you can set in terms of a lot of things,’’ sabi ni Del Negro na nasa Playa Vista training complex ng Clippers nitong Lunes.

“So I’m proud of a lot of the things we did which had never been done. The interesting thing is, when I came here, (we were) trying to create this, so now the expectations are higher, and the results need to be better. And as difficult as the results are right now, I’m actually proud of that, because that’s the direction I want this team to go, and that’s the mindset I want the organization to have - that it’s not good enough, that we can do better. That always hasn’t been the case (with the Clippers).’’


Si Del Negro ay 128-102 sa tatlong seasons na pagmamando sa laging kulelat na franchise na ito at siya ang coach na may pinakamataas na winning percenÂtage (.557) sa kasaysayan ng team.