The Clippers are pressuring management to act, as there is little chance of winning the championship without reinforcements. It's time to prepare. If management doesn't trade for a backup center, it would send a signal that this is all the Clippers can do this year, and making it to the play-in tournament would be considered a success. Natural disasters and accidents are inevitable, and the Clippers' management has likely come to terms with the fact that this season will be what it is. Even reaching the play-in tournament would be considered a good outcome; don't expect much in the playoffs. Management's approach this season seems to be to take things as they come, which is why they let George go without much resistance. The normal strategy should have been similar to when Durant left the Warriors; use George to acquire an immediate contributor like Russell, then make further moves later. Losing George for nothing is akin to when the Rockets gave up on Howard; it signifies that management has given up on the championship framework, at least for 1-2 years. The team will just have to see how far they can go, but the Rockets had Harden in his prime, so their rebuilding process was faster. During the summer, the contract offered to Harden by the Clippers was a sign of respect; it was relatively large in the market but not overly expensive. If you're willing to sign, stay and play well; if you want to join a championship contender or leave in the summer, they'll make it easy for…