May 3, 2013; Memphis, TN, USA; Los Angeles Clippers head coach Vinny Del Negro reacts to a missed basket against the Memphis Grizzlies in game six of the first round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at FedEx Forum. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Vinny Del Negro was on thin ice through the whole of the 2012-13 season, and the first-round exit in the 2013 NBA Playoffs finally cracked the ice. Adrian Wojnarowski reports that Del Negro will not be back as the Los Angeles Clippers head coach next season.

As Chris Paul enters free agency, many assumed that a coaching change would be inevitable. While Del Negro progressed with the Clippers, he is not the coach who can get the most out of his team, and ultimately didn’t provide postseason results despite having a talented roster.

Wojnarowski says that VDN was informed of the team’s decision Tuesday afternoon. There are several potential candidates for the vacancy. Lionel Hollins, who is currently the coach of the Memphis Grizzlies and the one responsible for knocking out the Clippers, is on an expiring contract and the Clippers could be interested in picking him up.

Other candidates are Golden State Warriors assistant Mike Malone, who has previously worked with Chris Paul while he still played for the New Orleans Hornets, and Stan Van Gundy, who himself said that he wants to sit out the 2013-14 season.

Stay tuned to KJG as we continue to give you the latest news on the Clippers’ coaching search.

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@VytisLasaitis

Mar 23, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Matt Barnes (22) reacts against the Brooklyn Nets at the Staples Center. The Clippers defeated the Nets 101-95. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Matt Barnes made a statement in the last game of the 2013 NBA Playoffs, dropping 30 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in a losing effort against the Memphis Grizzlies. Just like his superstar teammate Chris Paul, Barnes will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and will be exploring the market for a pay raise.

According to ESPN, Barnes said:

“I’m going to sit down and talk to my family and see where the market’s at,”

“I’ve been one of those guys the last three or four years that’s always been a great bargain. I’ve played for the mid-level and have played well but have yet to see a pay day. Not to say that I’m asking for the world, but I’m definitely looking for a salary increase.”

Barnes is right in that he has been a bargain, as he earned just over $800K for his contributions in 2012-13.

At the beginning of the season, this Clippers roster looked very deep, but the postseason exposed it’s glaring flaws. The team will have six unrestricted free agents this summer and a lot of decisions to make, so at this point it’s not certain whether Barnes is in the Clippers’ future plans.

Barnes also talked about what is undoubtedly the biggest headache of the Clippers front-office – re-signing Chris Paul. Paul is clearly not happy with how the season ended, but the team still has a solid foundation to build upon and can offer him the most money. Barnes believes that CP3 could very well be back in a Clippers uniform:

“Not to really get into his business too much, but I think the Clippers are one of his of top teams to say the least and if I was betting guy I would say he would be back with the Clippers next year.”

Other than the Clippers, Barnes has represented the Los Angeles Lakers and the Orlando Magic in the last four years. This season he averaged 10.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game off the bench.

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@VytisLasaitis