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Clippers President of Basketball Operations Elgin Baylor and Head Coach Mike Dunleavy spoke to the media after the Lottery to discuss the Clippers' plans for the seventh pick.
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How much does roster uncertainty affect the draft process?
"It’s not going to affect who we draft."
What are the specific needs right now?
"We just have to look at our point guard situation. Last year we had a lot of injuries. We just have to look at that position very closely. We’ll get it done."
Could you consider a trade?
"If it would be beneficial to our team, absolutely."
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Your thoughts on the outcome of the lottery overall?
"It worked out pretty well for the Chicago Bulls, getting the number one pick. Miami got number two and Minnesota moved up one spot, so I’m sure all three of those teams are pretty happy."
At this time are you going after a specific player or a specific position?
"We’re picking seventh. The idea is to go with who is the best player available at that time, but you also look at the draft in terms of what your needs are. Overall, best player is going to override need, but if you have a situation where it’s close, you go with your need. Until we get players in and start working them out, there may be specific needs that we’re targeting, but until we get to that point in the draft and evaluate the players in the draft we won’t be able to make that decision."
Can you speak specifically on the depth of the point guard class this year?
"Overall there are a lot of guys in the draft that play point guard, but not necessarily on a full-time basis. They may be combo guards that have the ability to play one and two. Therefore you would evaluate based on that and depending on your need for a pure point guard or a combo guard, or if you say you’re going to go for the best player available, you turn it into an asset for a need you might have."
Do you have a list of players you want to look at?
"We’re at seven. We have a draft order probably of the top 15 players that will be in that range. There’s a new format in the NBA this year where teams are allowed to bring in six players for a workout as opposed to four players last year. With that format of looking at six players at a time, you can play three-on-three, and it lends the opportunity to evaluate the players in a different way, a better way, I think. That’s what we’re going to try to do."
"We’re allowed to start bringing in players as of June 1st. The trick to it all is getting the guys in that you want to get in and see them play against guys you want to see them play against. It’s an interesting dynamic to say the least. For us, bottom line is we have to get through all of that to get players in that we think can help us and help us evaluate our situation the best."
"We can’t say certain names because there are certain guys in the draft that have the ability to go back to college and have not totally committed. As we bring guys in, it will be apparent what our objective is."
What are the specific needs right now?
“You have to evaluate all scenarios that are available to you. One is via trade, one is via free agency and the draft. When it comes time to pick, you’re going to make that decision based on those evaluations. For us, we have a lot of moving parts right now. We have guys that are free agents, we have guys that have been injured and there’s a lot more information that we need to have.”
What went through your head when you knew the Bulls had a top three pick?
"Obviously I was disappointed. You’re hoping that when Adam Silver says, ‘And with the ninth pick…’ you’ll see Chicago come up. When they don’t and you see the Charlotte Bobcats come up instead, you think, ‘Damn.’ The more teams you get through the better the opportunity is available for you to move up. Chicago’s probability was one and a half percent, so it was a big move and a very positive thing for them."
| 2008 DRAFT PROSPECTS | |
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Prospect: Joe Alexander 00:01:01 | Play Watch college highlights of West Virginia forward Joe Alexander. |
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Prospect: Darrell Arthur 00:00:56 | Play Watch college highlights of Kansas forward Darrell Arthur. |
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Prospect: Jerryd Bayless 00:01:02 | Play Watch college highlights of Arizona guard Jerryd Bayless. |
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Prospect: Michael Beasley 00:01:05 | Play Watch college highlights of Kansas State forward Michael Beasley. |
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Prospect: Eric Gordon 00:00:54 | Play Watch college highlights of Indiana guard Eric Gordon. |
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Prospect: Kevin Love 00:01:01 | Play Watch college highlights of UCLA forward Kevin Love. |
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Prospect: O.J. Mayo 00:01:00 | Play Watch college highlights of USC guard O.J. Mayo. |
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Prospect: Anthony Randolph 00:00:53 | Play Watch college highlights of LSU forward Anthony Randolph. |
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Prospect: Richard Roby 00:00:48 | Play Watch college highlights of Colorado guard Richard Roby. |
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Prospect: Derrick Rose 00:00:56 | Play Watch college highlights of Memphis guard Derrick Rose. |
The teams entered in the lottery, to be held on May 20, 2008, are as follows (note: the first three picks in the Draft will be determined by the lottery and the remainder of the “lottery teams” will select in positions 4 through 14 in inverse order of their consolidated standings at the end of the regular season):
