Blake Griffin has continued to express optimism about playing for the Clippers next season.

The Chicago Tribune asked Griffin about the team's history of struggles.

"I don't believe in curses or anything like that," Griffin said. "They have great players and a great coach. I expect them to be good next year."

Griffin added that he'd like to accomplish what Derrick Rose did in Chicago, enjoying success while also helping improve his team.

"He did a great job," Griffin said of Rose. "Hopefully I can do the same."

Blake Griffin, who the Clippers have identified they will take with the first overall pick, isn't counting his chickens before they hatch.

"I'm planning it as if I don't know right now, which I don't," Griffin said Thursday from Chicago. "I'm not going to guarantee anything. I'm going through it just like everybody else is."

However, Griffin admitted that he only has a visit scheduled with the Clippers.

"Nothing's set in stone," Griffin added. "Anything can happen, so I'm not going to start buying a house and all that in L.A."

The Warriors are reportedly one of the teams that are expected to make a play for Baron Davis this offseason.

Davis' first season with the Clippers was highly unsuccessful.

Golden State has the seventh overall pick, which Pro Basketball News reports could be used as part of a package for their former point guard.

The Clippers are entertaining offers for the first overall pick, according to a number of NBA sources.

Los Angeles made initial comments that they would use the top pick on Blake Griffin, but one source claims that it was all a show.

"From what I understand, they didn't want to sound uncertain on draft night, since that's a typical Clippers reaction," one source told DraftExpress.com.

"This is a very important time for them in terms of season ticket renewals, which is why they had that kneejerk reaction."

The Clippers have already announced that they will take power forward Blake Griffin with the first overall pick in next month's NBA Draft.

The addition of Griffin will leave Los Angeles with an abundance of big men.

The Clippers already have Chris Kaman, Zach Randolph and Marcus Camby.

It's possible that Camby is the most likely to be traded, because he has just one year left on his contract. An expiring contract is a hot commodity on the trade market, especially with the cap relief coming in the summer of 2010.

On Sunday's "Outside the Lines," ESPN examined league issues surrounding Cuttino Mobley's heart condition and the salary cap implications of his trade to the Knicks in November of 2008.

Mobley had apparently signed legal waivers relieving his previous teams of liability.

Joel Litvin, president of the NBA's league and basketball operations, declined to say whether the league knew about these waivers.  

"We're informed that not all teams necessarily file these waivers with the league and it is not even clear that they are required to," Litvin said in a statement.

Ultimately, the Knicks waived Mobley's physical requirement in order to complete the trade.

"They are just looking at 2010 and they're saying anything else we can get out of this is gravy," said salary cap expert Larry Coon.

The Knicks have pursued insurance coverage to pay at least some of Mobley's contract.  ESPN reports that so far $2.6 million of his salary has been paid by the league's insurance program.

Nuggets reserve guard Jason Hart doesn't believe that the addition of Blake Griffin is going to change the Clippers' fortunes.

Hart played for the Clippers and grew up in Los Angeles.

"Will it change their fortune? I grew up here. The Clippers have always been a bad team. I'm not knocking them. It's history," Hart said.

The Dallas Mavericks will look towards the Clippers and they're expected eagerness to deal one or more of their veterans, including Baron Davis.

"We have to be open to anything ? anything! ? that would improve our team,? president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson said Wednesday.

The Clippers claim to have made their decision to draft Blake Griffin with the number one overall pick in this year's draft a year ago when he decided to stay at Oklahoma for his sophomore season.

"I'd say we made the decision June 2008," assistant general manager Neil Olshey said Wednesday. "When he decided to go back to Oklahoma, that if we got the No. 1 pick in '09, he'd be the guy."

On Wednesday, the Clippers strategically placed pictures of Griffin on their Web site to advertise ticket sales for next season.

Mike Dunleavy has saved Clippers' fans and the NBA from a lot of drama over the next month.

"Clearly, we're taking Blake Griffin," Clippers General Manager and Coach Mike Dunleavy said in a telephone interview from Barcelona, Spain.

"This guy is the No. 1 pick. We're extremely excited. He's the guy."

Click here to read RealGM's first mock draft following the lottery.