Dunleavy: 'We're Taking Blake Griffin'

Clippers president Andy Roeser tried to be coy when talking about what player his organization favored with the first overall pick, heaping mountains of praise on Blake Griffin but also maintaining that the basketball staff would put their heads together and talk things over before sharing the decision first with team owner Donald Sterling and then with the world.

Coach (and GM) Mike Dunleavy, though, sees no need to play things so close to the vest. "Clearly, we're taking Blake Griffin," Dunleavy told the Los Angeles Times. But what about Ricky Rubio, the Spanish point guard? Is Dunleavy selling Rubio short by announcing his decision so quickly?

Well, considering Dunleavy was speaking via telephone while in Barcelona on a scouting trip to see Rubio play, Dunleavy has apparently seen enough to make up his mind. "This guy (Griffin) is the No. 1 pick. We're extremely excited. He's the guy." Let the march to 30 wins commence.

The big drama now is whether the Grizzlies bite on Rubio, who doesn't exactly fill a need on a team that's used lottery picks on O.J. Mayo and Mike Conley the past two years.