Clippers rookie forward Blake Griffin will begin his NBA career as a reserve.

Los Angeles coach Mike Dunleavy Sr. said on Monday that the team will leave last season's starting five intact -- Baron Davis, Eric Gordon, Al Thornton, Chris Kaman and Marcus Camby -- with the first overall pick coming off the bench.

"If I have to come off the bench, I'm perfectly happy with that," said Griffin.

The former Oklahoma star added that he doesn't put any weight into the so-called Clippers Curse. The team has just two winning seasons in the last 30 years and just one playoff appearance since 1997.

"I did some research on my own and there's not enough evidence for me to believe," Griffin told the media with a smile.

The Los Angeles Times speculates that the Clippers will shop Marcus Camby if they get off to a slow start.

Camby has an expiring contract of around $8 million, which will be a very valuable trade asset as the league gets closer to the summer of 2010.

The Clippers are set to hire John Lucas as an assistant coach.

Lucas was over at the Clippers' headquarters in Playa Vista this morning and the deal was expected to be completed later today.

It will be a one-year contract.

The Los Angeles Clippers today re-signed unrestricted free agent forward Brian Skinner.

Per team policy terms of the contract were not released.

In 51 games played with the Clippers last season, Skinner averaged 4.2 points, 4.0 rebounds and 16.5 minutes per game. Over his 11 year NBA career, Skinner has tallied 4.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 18.3 minutes per game.

Blake Griffin, who suffered a strained right shoulder during the Las Vegas Summer League, has been cleared to participate with no limitations in all team activities by Clippers? team physician Dr. Steven Shimoyama.

Griffin, who originally strained the shoulder during the third game of the Clippers? five game stint in Las Vegas, was named the League?s Most Outstanding Player and went on to average 19.2 points and 10.8 rebounds per game.

The first overall selection in the 2009 NBA Draft, Griffin was the consensus National Player of the Year following a sophomore season where he averaged 22.7 points and 14.4 rebounds for the Sooners.

The Los Angeles Clippers announced on Friday that the team has re-signed restricted free agent forward Steve Novak. Per team policy terms of the deal were not announced.

In 71 games played for the Clippers last season, Novak averaged 6.9 points in 16.4 minutes per game. Completing his third NBA season, the sharpshooter out of Marquette connected on 119-286 three-pointers (.416) on the year.

Allen Iverson was courted by the Clippers earlier this summer, but they were more enamored with Ramon Sessions.

Mike Dunleavy never really seemed too interested in Iverson, according to NBA.com's David Aldridge.

Dunleavy far preferred Sessions, but the Clippers couldn't put together a sign-and-trade deal with the Bucks for the restricted free agent.

Now, with news that Iverson is set to meet with the Grizzlies on Monday, the Clippers could lose out on both guards.

Restricted free-agent Ramon Sessions and the Minnesota Timberwolves have agreed to an offer sheet at around $4 million per year over four years.  The fourth season will be a player option.  

Chris Sheridan reports that weeks ago, Sessions decided to hold off on committing to the Knicks in the hopes of a new team emerging.

The Bucks will have seven days to decide whether or not to match the terms of the Wolves' offer sheet to Sessions.

After a long wait, restricted free-agent Ramon Sessions is reportedly on the verge of signing an offer sheet.  Surprisingly, the team closing in on Sessions appears to be the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Wolves have about $3.7 million of their mid-level exception available for this 2009-2010 season.  Any offer sheet would need to be at least two seasons in length.

The Bucks would have seven days to match but it is believed that they are highly unlikely to do so since the team is only $1.6 million under the luxury tax threshold.

Wolves' GM David Kahn would add another point guard to his roster after Ricky Rubio's decision to spend two more years overseas.

The Knicks and Clippers were thought to be in pursuit of Sessions most of the off-season.

A source close to the situation tells RealGM's Alex Kennedy that the Los Angeles Clippers extended a contract offer to point guard Carlos Arroyo on Thursday.

Arroyo's last stint in the NBA was with the Orlando Magic. He averaged 6.9 points and 3.5 assists per game in 2007.

Last season, Arroyo led Maccabi Tel Aviv to an Israeli Premier League Championship and was named Finals MVP.

He would be the fourth point guard on Los Angeles' roster, which would suggest that they're no longer pursuing restricted free agent Ramon Sessions.