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Hip to be a Clipper
By Andy Katz
ESPN.com
MINNEAPOLIS -- Suddenly it's cool to be a Clipper in the NBA. And it's not that bad to be a Maverick, either.
In an NBA draft that turned the league upside down, high-profile
players were actually glad to be wearing a Dallas or Los Angeles hat after their names were called by David Stern. What happened at the Target Center on Wednesday night may have been the
dawning of a new day in both Dallas and Los Angeles.
|  | | Darius Miles' smile was geniune when the Clippers picked him No. 3. |
The Clippers picked up a college all-star team that, if it meshes, could end up staying together for the next four years.
The Clippers selected and then balked at trading East St. Louis High
senior Darius Miles with the third pick in the first round. They also picked
up Missouri point guard Keyon Dooling at No. 10, first-year player Corey
Maggette and veteran Derek Strong from Orlando in a trade. Somehow, the
Clippers were able to then pick up DePaul's Quentin Richardson at No. 18,
even though Richardson was pegged to go nearly eight spots higher in the
draft.
And they didn't have to give up Miles.
"I'm staying with the Clippers," Miles said after learning that
Richardson had been picked, too. "That's a million-dollar pick right
there."
But the Clippers weren't through. They added Italian forward Marko
Jaric with the first pick in the second round to give them even more
scoring. The Clippers already have first-year star Lamar Odom and
second-year developing center Michael Olowokandi on the roster.
"We're all going to be together for a while," Richardson said.
"We've got me, Keyon, Darius, Corey, Lamar. Man, this is a good team we got
here. There are a lot of young guys but there's a lot of energy there. We've
got a chance to start over and black out all the bad part."
When Miles calmly walked up to the podium to shake NBA commissioner
David Stern's hand, he was more relaxed than any other player in attendance.
But he didn't think he would be wearing the Clippers hat for too long. When
he heard about the Clippers' trade with Orlando during an interview with ESPN, he took
his hat off. The assumption was that his days as a Clipper were done.
Instead, Miles waited under the orders of his agent team of Jeff
Wechsler, David Falk and Arn Tellem. When Richardson was selected at No. 18,
Miles was assured that he wouldn't be split up from his practice partner.
"I wish I can play for the Clippers," Miles said. "That's the team
that picked me. I didn't plan on going there but they picked me. I was
prepared for anybody to take me. I'm just happy they picked me. This is fun
stuff. On the court it's business. Being with the Clippers is going to be
fun."
That might be the first time that statement has ever been uttered by an NBA draft pick. But the
perception of the Clippers has changed over night. Richardson said the
Clippers should be able to be competitive with the Lakers next season.
Certainly they've got a chance to be more of a drawing card, with Dooling at
the point, Odom, Richardson, Maggette and Miles rotating in as big guards
and small forwards and Olowokandi in the middle.
All the Clippers need now is a head coach.
As for Dallas, the Mavericks got burned a year ago by trading for Leon Smith. He was a failure and never made it to the opening day roster. Instead of taking a gamble, the Mavericks and their new brazen owner Mark Cuban went after a pre-draft trade with Orlando to get No. 13. They paid $3 million for
the pick and took Fresno State's Courtney Alexander -- the leading scorer in
the draft. Alexander's selection came on the heels of the Mavericks taking
Syracuse forward Etan Thomas.
The Mavericks needed a rebounder and a scorer and got both in those
back-to-back picks. In the second round, they got the backup rebounder they
wanted when they traded Dan Langhi to Houston for Eduardo Najera.
But they weren't through. They got a rebounding specialist in New York's first-round pick,
Florida forward Donnell Harvey, along with the Knicks' John
Wallace. All the Mavericks had to give up was journeyman Erick Strickland
and the final pick of the draft, Pete Mickeal of Cincinnati.
"Dallas is a young and exciting team with an exciting owner,"
Alexander said.
Pair Alexander's shooting touch with Michael Finley and the Mavs will
have one of the top scoring backcourts in the NBA. Dirk Nowitzki is one of the top
shooting forwards. Put the rebounding players like Thomas, Najera, Harvey
and Wallace down low, and the Mavs will be a tougher, if not more defensive-minded
team, up front.
When the night ended, no one drafted by the Mavs or the Clippers was
upset. They were actually pumped to be selected, and for Richardson and
Miles, there was a genuine excitement to be together.
That sort of success wasn't predicted. The next step is turning their draft wins into
victories on the court next season.
Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com.
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