Clippers react to Cavaliers' win in NBA draft lottery | The Fabulous Forum | Los Angeles Times

Funny but the Clippers just couldn't quite get away from the lottery.

This was supposed to be the one year they weren't part of the conversation

Oh well.

Cleveland won the NBA's draft lottery on Tuesday night, and added the No. 4 overall pick, an event made possible, in part, by wild blind luck and the deal crafted by the Cavaliers at the trade deadline. They sentMo Williamsto the Clippers and took onBaron Davisand his big-money contract for two more years. But they received the Clippers' first-round pick. 

Neil Olshey, the Clippers vice president of basketball operations, said that the team made the decision at the trade deadline that their next step was going to be"via trade or free agency."

"Adding Mo Williams and $8.5 million in cap room gives us better odds of improving than a 2.8% chance of winning the lottery and adding a seventh player under 23 to our roster," he said.

"Additionally, we had a 97% chance of sitting here tonight with Baron Davis, the eighth pick in a bad draft and no cap flexibility."

Cavaliers ownerDan Gilbert, called it a"beautiful" night, saying on a conference call:"I knew it was the right move all along. When it was over, someone on stage told me that it was the Clippers' pick and I thought they were messing around. It wasn't until 10-15 minutes later when I actually started to believe it."

-- Lisa Dillman

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