Clippers share their plan for Blake Griffin
The Los Angeles Clippers didn’t need time after the draft lottery to decide who to take with the No. 1 pick.
They settled on Blake Griffin long ago.
“I’d say we made the decision June 2008,” assistant general manager Neil Olshey said Wednesday at the team’s practice facility in Playa Vista. “When he decided to go back to Oklahoma, that if we got the No. 1 pick in ’09, he’d be the guy.”
The Clippers earned the right to select the All-American forward in the June 25 draft Tuesday when they won the lottery, moving up from the third-best chance.
On Wednesday, the Clippers strategically placed pictures of Griffin on their Web site to advertise ticket sales for next season. Team president Andy Roeser refused to say what Los Angeles would do with the pick Tuesday night, but Olshey wanted fans to understand the Clippers are committed to winning.
“We went through a very difficult season. I don’t think that our record is indicative of our roster composition,” Olshey said. “I think that Blake was clearly the No. 1 choice.
“It was important to give clarity to our fans to understand that we’ve spent the last month licking our wounds, finding out what we did wrong for the last 82 games and now it’s about the future. Today is the first step towards making sure we’re not back in the lottery for any other reason other than picking up Minnesota’s (future) pick that we’re still owed.”
It will be the third time the Clippers have had the No. 1 pick. The last time they made a blunder by selecting center Michael Olowokandi in 1998, who averaged 8.3 points in his career and is out of the NBA. The Clippers also had the top pick in 1988 and took Danny Manning.
Griffin figures to be a much better investment for the team. He averaged 22.7 points and led the nation with 30 double-doubles and 14.4 rebounds per game as a sop re at Oklahoma.
Olshey believes Griffin can make an impact as a rookie. The woeful Clippers franchise has made the NBA playoffs only four times in team history. Because of the caliber of players returning to the team next season, including point guard Baron Davis, Griffin won’t be expected to be the team’s savior, Olshey noted.
But he can certainly contribute to improvement. The Clippers finished 19-63 this past season.
“I just think Blake’s decision to go back to school, this was his rookie year,” Olshey said. “He’s going to have a little bit of a learning curve in terms of learning the league, but he’s got the physicality to play right away.
“He’s got an expanding skill level. He can make an impact on both ends of the floor.”
No other organization besides the Clippers would announce months before the draft who they are drafting. Only in the Clippers front office.
“I’d say we made the decision June 2008,” assistant general manager Neil Olshey said Wednesday at the team’s practice facility in Playa Vista. “When he decided to go back to Oklahoma, that if we got the No. 1 pick in ’09, he’d be the guy.”And what other organization talks about landing the #1 pick in June?
Hmmmmm...
Baron Davis / Mike Taylor
Eric Gordon / Mardy Collins
Al Thornton / Ricky Davis
Blake Griffin / Zach Randolph
Chris Kaman / Marcus Camby / DeAndre Jordan
A couple of trades to clear out the logjam up front and to get some depth on the perimeter, and they could be an interesting team. Perhaps still not that good, but they have some pieces to be entertaining and compe ive.
The Clippers take the term "underachieving" to a whole nother level. Or maybe it's their coach....
honestly what i was thinking.. i cant remember a time lately were a team had announced the day after the lottery that they already had someone in mind lol... I remember portland nobody knew who they were picking and same with chicago last year... i mean you have a idea, but the organization would never confirm or deny.. gotta love the clips lolNo other organization besides the Clippers would announce months before the draft who they are drafting. Only in the Clippers front office.
Man, I feel bad for Blake....at least from a basketball standpoint, he's going to cake out off the court though and will likely be gone in a few years.
Don't feel bad for him. That team is loaded with talent. He can be the man to lead them to winning.
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<p>the clippers and winning in the same paragraph....lol....blake should pull an Eli Manning draft day debacle and demand a trade....the clips are just plain bad luck!</p>
The Clippers are snake-bitten....their talent will get injured or just tune out the coach and do as they feel. The franchise finally looked as if it were coming out of the Dark ages, but that anomally happens every 8 years or so. Hang in there Blake, you're young.
I watched just about every game they played last year and they have a lot of talent, they were just injured more then any other team in the league. If they stay healthy, which is a big if, I think they will make the playoffs. GO CLIPPERS GO!!
That could be a low playoff team if Randolph and Camby never see the floor.
The Clipps were already planning on sucking for the 08-09 season? Did they tell Baron Davis before he signed there? What a joke of a franchise...Sorry Blake Griffin
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