[1] After finishing with the worst record the previous season, the Clippers selected high school basketball star Darius Miles with the third overall pick, and selected Quentin Richardson out of DePaul University with the eighteenth overall pick in the 2000 NBA draft.
[2][3][4][5][6] During the off-season, the team acquired second-year guard Corey Maggette, Derek Strong, and first-round draft pick Keyon Dooling out of the University of Missouri from the Orlando Magic,[7][3][5][8] and acquired Sean Rooks from the Dallas Mavericks.
[9][10] However, center Keith Closs was suspended for the entire season due to lack of physical conditioning.
[15] Second-year star Lamar Odom had a strong season averaging 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.6 blocks per game, while Jeff McInnis averaged 12.9 points and 5.5 assists per game, and Miles provided the team with 9.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game off the bench, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.
[21][22][19][20] For the season, the Clippers changed their uniforms by adding side panels to their jerseys and shorts, which remained in use until 2010.