equivalent, for each Staples games, three championship rings following any Clippers title, and will run a charitable foundation. The deal also included a stipulation that Steve Ballmer would keep the Clippers in Los Angeles. On November 6, the team hired its first major female executive as former Auto Club Speedway president Gillian Zucker was hired as the Clippers' president of business operations. Zucker became one of two women to serve in an executive capacity in any of the four major professional sports leagues; the other being Jeanie Buss, president and part-owner of the crosstown Lakers. 2014–2017: Final seasons of Lob City The Clippers' first regular season under Ballmer's co-ownership ended with a 56–26 record and the third seed in the Western Conference going into the 2015 playoffs. They met the defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs, winning the series in the seventh game on a game-winning shot by Paul with one second left. In the next series against the second-seeded Houston Rockets, they took a 3–1 series lead that included 25 and 33-point wins in games three and four, respectively. However, Houston won the final three games to eliminate Los Angeles. In the off-season, the Clippers acquired Lance Stephenson, Wesley Johnson, and Paul Pierce while re-signing Austin Rivers. Griffin missed half of the season and the Clippers finished with the fourth playoff seed before being then eliminated in the first round of the 2016 playoffs by the fifth-seeded Portland Trail Blazers. The Clippers finished the 2016–17 season with a 51–31 record, the team's fifth straight 50-win season, despite injuries to both Griffin and Paul during the regular season. The Clippers won their last seven games and earned the fourth playoff seed by defeating the Sacramento Kings in the final game of the season. The Clippers faced the Utah Jazz in the first round of the playoffs, but lost in seven games. Paul Pierce retired after the season. 2017–present: Rebuild In preparation for a rebuild, the Clippers brought in two-time Executive Of The Year winner Jerry West to serve as their special consultant; West was the architect behind the dynasties of the 2000 to 2002 Los Angeles Lakers and mid to late 2010s Golden State Warriors, and had helped to establish the Memphis Grizzlies as a relevant playoff contender. On June 28, 2017, Chris Paul was sent to the Houston Rockets in a sign-and-trade in exchange for Lou Williams, Patrick Beverley,