With their first round loss to the Utah Jazz, the Los Angeles Clippers have now made it to the playoffs for six consecutive seasons without making it further than the Western Conference Semifinals. The team's playoff record over that span has been a dismal 24-33.

This stretch of futility has led many to draw comparisons between Chris Paul's Clippers and John Stockton's Jazz teams of the '90s. Both squads were regular-season juggernauts, but could never make it all the way in the playoffs. 

This offseason, Clippers fans may be more worried about making the playoffs in the first place. Chris Paul and Blake Griffins are free agents, forcing the team's front office to face some tough decisions before next season. 

According to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times, shooting guard J.J. Redick will likely be the odd man out in the upcoming Clippers' roster shakeup. Per Turner:

"J.J. Redick, who is an unrestricted free agent, is looking to earn $18-20 million per season, according to the officials. The Clippers probably won't pay that much, the official said, but the team won't rule out re-signing Redick for the right price."

While nothing has been confirmed, the early priorities seem to be Paul and Griffin, which wouldn't leave enough cap space to sign Redick at the $18-20 million price tag. Furthermore, a report from ESPN's Ramona Shelbourne back in October indicated that Clippers owner Steve Ballmer "is committed to keeping both Griffin and Paul long term, no matter what it costs." 

So the question is: will Redick be willing to accept a pay cut to remain in Los Angeles. The answer? Not very likely. The veteran guard is one of the most lethal shooters in the league, and can still knock threes down at an elite rate at high volume. Add in the fact that he can create for himself off the dribble and you've got a coveted skillset that contenders like Toronto or Atlanta would be happy to pay for. 

Assuming the Clippers open next season with Paul, Griffin and DeAndre Jordan on the roster, they should be able to secure yet another playoff berth. But without the services of Redick, there's little hope for Paul finally getting his first ring.