After a disastrous season, the Los Angeles Clippers needed something big to turn the franchise around.

The team had high hopes a year ago when they signed Baron Davis to a long-term contract and nearly rebuilt the entire team.  Injuries happened; chemistry never developed and the team won just 19 games.

Their lucked changed on May 19th when they won the draft lottery and the opportunity to land Oklahoma sophomore Blake Griffin.

The Clippers were thrilled to land the consensus top pick and worked quickly to thin out their front court to make room for the powerful, athletic forward.

Although it can't be official until July 8th, the team has agreed to send expensive big man Zach Randolph to the Memphis Grizzlies for former Clipper Quentin Richardson.

Not only will that open up a potential starting spot for Blake, LA has set itself up to have significant cap space in the summer of 2010. 

Now the Clippers can boast a young core at each position with guards Eric Gordon and Mike Taylor, forwards Griffin and Al Thornton and center DeAndre Jordan.

Equally, the team has a cadre of veterans in Baron, Chris Kaman, Marcus Camby, Ricky Davis and Richardson.

That's a combination the Clippers believe will win a lot of games this season and set up an even brighter future.

With a long list of big stars available in 2010 (starting with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade), LA may be able to move quickly from this year's lottery winner to true contender.

In the meantime, the team can't wait to see Griffin in action.

"My expectation is that [Blake will] play big minutes but in what role or what capacity has yet to be determined," said Dunleavy.  "The first thing that can guarantee him having big minutes on the floor is if he continues to be a great rebounder.  The other thing is, can he become a player who can guard multiple positions?  Shoot, how do you keep a guy like that off the floor?"

Coach Dunleavy may take the same approach with Griffin as he took with Gordon.  Eric began the season behind veteran guard Cuttino Mobley.  Once the team felt comfortable that Gordon was ready for a bigger role, Mobley was traded and Eric was able to log 65 starts in his first year.

By season's end, Gordon was named to the NBA's All-Rookie Second Team.

Now that Randolph is gone, Blake may find himself in a similar position behind Camby and Kaman.  He can fight for a starting spot in training camp and while it may initially go to a veteran, at some point Griffin's going to push someone to the bench.

Recently Griffin talked about how eager he is to get to work with his new team.

"The past month or so I've been in just in different spots working out in different places," said Blake.  "I was really excited finally to have everything set in stone, and to know where I'm going and where I'll be working out. It's nice being able to come in and get shots up at 5:00am and lift with the other guys and everything like that. Now that it's set in stone I'd like to get into a routine, and really get to work."

Hard work was the theme of Griffin's introductory press conference.  He talked about his background and how that ethic was shaped.

"My parents have definitely been a huge influence on my life. They are two of the hardest working people I have ever been around. Playing for my dad growing up was one of the best things ever for me because he pushed me so hard where another coach might have been scared to do that. To have my dad around and to have my mom be the strong woman that she is really set an example for me and my brother growing up. My parents have been huge leaders in my life. In regards to the team and the culture of it; I just want to work hard every day. I feel like with hard work comes great opportunities and that is the type of mindset that I want to bring to the team."

So when did it really click for him that he needed to rely first on his work ethic, more so than his talent?

"My freshman year of high school when I was playing with my brother [Taylor]," said Griffin.  "We were undefeated and won state.  I was like the second to last guy to make the team and my dad was the coach.  That's when I really decide to buckle down and really get serious about it, come in early and get working, come in afterwards and all that stuff, and really take care of my body.  That's when really when my work ethic started to build."

"I wasn't playing as much as I was used to.  I was coming off the bench," continued Blake.  "I was like the eighth man about halfway through the season.  Over Christmas break I really just started working as hard as I could and by the time we were in the playoffs, I was sixth man."

Graduating elementary school, Griffin was 6'1".  Three months later he was a 6'5" freshman in high school.

"I grew like 4-4 1/2 inches over one summer," said Blake.  "The pain just killed me.  The knees, hips, ankles . . . everything man.  It just hurt.  It was one of those things you just have to push through and it goes away after awhile."

Eventually Griffin grew into his body and the talent merged with his hard work. 

Standing at 6'10" in shoes, Griffin comes into the NBA with a mature 250 pound chiseled frame.  One source said he carries just 1.5% body fat.

As a sophomore at Oklahoma, Blake averaged 22.7 points a game on 65.4% shooting along with 14.4 rebounds a game. 

He may have a body somewhat similar to Karl Malone's but his basketball influences are more diverse.

"I wanted to be a lot like Michael Jordan but unfortunately that didn't work out to well. There are lots of different guys, I admire all the great players," said Griffin.  "There are guys playing right now that work hard, guys like Kobe [Bryant] and LeBron [James] that are good, and they're good every year, and they get better. Those are the guys I really model my game after. Not so much on particular skills, but just how they work and how they compete."

Even Shaquille O'Neal is a fan, telling Ian Thompson of Sports Illustrated, "My (10 year old son) is starting to play now, and I don't' like to let him watch players that are really, really fancy.  Of course I'll let him watch Kobe, LeBron and T-Mac [Tracy McGrady].  But I show him Blake Griffin and I say 'Shareef, this is the dude you should watch and pattern your game after.' Because my son, when he's older, I think he's going to have the same body type -- 6'10", muscular, freakish athletically."

Coach Dunleavy looks forward to a promising season as he finds a place for the rookie.

"He's got a clear understanding.  He's got a great brain.  If you say things to him that make sense, he's going to buy into them," said Dunleavy.  "I think he needs to be able to step out and shoot that 16-foot banker like [Tim] Duncan, that sets you up to be a player that is very hard to guard."

Duncan has had a monopoly on that bank shot for most of the decade, how realistic is it that Griffin picks it up?

"He's not that far off as far as his shot.  He's got that quick first step and explosion," answered Dunleavy.  "He'll get people who want to back off of him and, with his great work ethic, he'll develop it."

Blake's agent, Sam Goldfeder of Excel Sports Management, was happy his client landed in a major market like Los Angeles.  He sees a bright future for Griffin with the Clippers.

"Last year I think was an aberration with all the injuries.  [Blake] finds himself in great situation with a blend of very talented young players and very, very talented veterans," said Goldfeder.  "I think that this organization is headed in the right direction.  We're excited."

Griffin is excited too but mostly he's just itching to get back into the gym to work out.

The Clippers will get their first look at Blake in action on July 13th at the Thomas & Mack Center Las Vegas against the Los Angeles Lakers in Griffin's Summer League debut.