Clippers general manager Neil Olshey doesn’t regret not insisting on protection for their lottery pick.

“Protecting the pick was never an option,” Olshey told NBA.com. “There is no way to Monday morning quarterback this (since) our draft position wouldn’t have been the same had we not made the deal as I’m sure we would not have finished 11-11 post-trade without Mo Williams.

“Additionally, we had a 97-percent chance of sitting here tonight with Baron Davis (taking up 25 percent of our cap), the eighth pick in a weak draft and no cap flexibility. Adding Mo Williams and $8.5 million in cap room gave us a better opportunity to become a playoff team next year than adding a seventh player under 23 with no NBA experience.”

Saying adding protection to the pick — for the top three, for example — was not possible is an indication the clause would have been a deal breaker for the Cavaliers.

Shortly after being named the NBA’s 2010-11 Rookie of the Year, Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin donated the autographed 2011 Kia Optima midsize sedan used in his final attempt to win the Slam Dunk at NBA All-Star 2011 for an upcoming public charity auction on AutoTrader.com to benefit Stand Up To Cancer.

Proceeds from the auction of the automobile will go directly to cancer research funded by Stand Up To Cancer in tribute to Griffin’s friend and former high school teammate, Wilson Holloway. A Tulsa native, Wilson passed away on February 16 after a three-year battle with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Griffin will work with Stand Up to Cancer to identify the best way to utilize the funds to target research done specifically for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

“I am honored to memorialize Wilson’s legacy by helping to raise funds for cancer research,” said Blake Griffin. “Wilson was an inspiration to everybody who knew him, and a very dear friend and teammate. I dedicated my All-Star weekend to him.”

Blake Griffin is the recipient of the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy as the 2010-11 T-Mobile NBA Rookie of the Year, the National Basketball Association announced. Griffin is the first unanimous Rookie of the Year selection since David Robinson in 1989-90, receiving 118 first-place votes (590 points) from an equal number of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. Other than Griffin and Robinson, the only other unanimous selection since the award’s inception was Ralph Sampson in 1983-84.

"Foremost Blake is a team first guy, which was evident in all 82 games this season,” stated Vice President of Basketball Operations Neil Olshey. “His work ethic, production and commitment to his coaches and teammates during his rookie campaign was unparalleled in my eight year tenure with the Clipper organization. I know being named Rookie of the Year was one of the individual goals he set for himself when we drafted him and I'm thrilled that all of his hard work has been recognized."

Finishing second was John Wall with 295 points, followed by DeMarcus Cousins, Landry Fields, Gary Neal and Greg Monroe.

Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin will be named the NBA's Rookie of the Year Wednesday, according to a league source not authorized to speak publicly on the announcement.

The Clippers on Tuesday announced a news conference for the presentation of a major NBA award.

Griffin averaged 22.5 points, 12.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists.