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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, June 22, 2009

NBA: Clippers remain intent on keeping No. 1 draft pick


Associated Press

LOS ANGELES � The Los Angeles Clippers remain intent on keeping the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft, and they�re expected to make Oklahoma�s Blake Griffin the top selection.

�The pick�s not going anywhere,� assistant general manager Neil Olshey said Monday.
Coach and general manager Mike Dunleavy said he hasn�t spoken to anyone seriously about trading the pick in more than two weeks. He and Olshey haven�t ruled out the possibility of acquiring another pick on or before Thursday�s draft.
�We�re going to try to jump into the draft,� Olshey said. �We�ve proven in the last year or so, we�re not afraid to make transactions. Some have worked, some haven�t. But we�ve been as active as any team in the league and we�re going to continue to do that straight through Thursday night.�
Dunleavy was so excited about the news that his team had won last month�s draft lottery that he told a reporter by phone that the Clippers would be taking Griffin.
Dunleavy was in Barcelona, Spain, when he made the announcement that violated the league�s policy forbidding teams from stating whom they plan on selecting before the draft.
So the Clippers got scolded for saying what they figured was going to be a foregone conclusion no matter what team held the No. 1 pick.
�We jumped the gun with our excitement, but with the luck we�ve had the last couple of years with injuries and everything else, it�s gone the wrong way so to have that kind of thing happen on draft night got everybody excited,� Olshey said.
�It was four in the morning in Spain when Coach made the comment so, I think if given a little more thought, we would�ve played our cards more close to the vest.�
The Clippers finished 19-63 last season.
During the NBA finals, the Clippers showcased Griffin during an open workout for media, season ticket holders and sponsors. The 6-foot-10 center averaged 22.7 points and 14.4 rebounds as a sophomore for the Sooners.
To improve his stamina and strength, Griffin has been working out with a trainer known for putting clients through grueling eight-hour sessions.