Blake dance

By MARK HEISLER

June 21, 2009 12 AM PT

Hey, I just heard the Clippers got Blake Griffin!

Oops! I mean they got the first pick in the draft, and are expected to take Griffin . . . the way the sun is expected to rise in the east on draft day.

A lot happened while the Lakers were off winning their title. Having drawn the top pick, the Clippers announced they’d take Griffin, a no-brainer . . . only to be reprimanded by the league for giving away the secret.

It’s true. There’s now a rule that says if you want to say whom you’ll take, you can’t, because they need the “drama” for the ESPN telecast.

To the Clippers’ dismay, they then had to stay silent amid reports they were wavering between Griffin and Ricky Rubio -- Same old Clippers, can’t get anything right -- which almost certainly came from Rubio’s agent, Dan Fegan, dismayed to find his glamorous client was looking at Memphis or Oklahoma City, picking No. 2 and No. 3.

Striking a blow for freedom, the Clippers hit upon the idea of inviting the Finals press corps to an open workout with Griffin, making it clear he was their guy.

Look for the league to put in a rule against opening workouts from now on.

With a dramatic drop after No. 1 and the real action centering on free agents (Rasheed Wallace, Jason Kidd, Andre Miller, Ben Gordon, Carlos Boozer) and more big guys priced to move (Shaquille O’Neal, Chris Kaman, maybe even Marcus Camby), a lot of movement is expected.

From a local perspective, one question occurs:

MARCUS CAMBY?

Excuse me while I drop a line to my favorite owner, the one and only Donald T. Sterling:

Dear Donald:

How are things? That bad, huh? Renewals down, price cuts or no. Revenue shortfall predicted.

Of course, you win 19-23 the last two seasons and that happens.

I know your business people want to dump salary, which would be OK, if it’s Ricky Davis or even Chris Kaman. Unfortunately, with no market for Davis, and not much of one for Kaman, it might have to be Marcus Camby.

Two words come to mind: “Looney” and “Tunes.”

Camby was the only glue guy on a team that -- how to put it gently? -- quit. Almost half your roster has literally never been over .500 one day in the NBA. The caption under your team picture should read, “Culture of Losing.”

You’ve pinned enough hopes on Kaman. One more bad season and you’ll fire half your front office, unload every big salary and start over. The next thing you know, it’ll be 2011, with Eric Gordon a year from free agency and Griffin two years away.

To close on the usual positive note, you were great last season, insisting no one was going anywhere unless it was a “basketball decision.”

Well, this is the biggest basketball decision of all.

Yours forever, etc.

Mark

Anyway, here’s how the draft could go, or at least the top 10 picks:

1. Clippers: Griffin.

2. Memphis: Beats me.

Everyone has Hasheem Thabeet here, but the Grizzlies aren’t enthusiastic and their phone is ringing off the hook. Minnesota at No. 6 is offering Kevin Love and a swap of picks to move up for Thabeet.

3. Oklahoma City: Lots of speculation the Thunder will take Rubio and move Russell Westbrook to shooting guard. However, the best way to read secretive young GM Sam Presti, a former Spur, may be to ask what Gregg Popovich and R.C. Buford would do. I’d guess James Harden, who’s left-handed, multi-skilled and could be seen as a poor man’s Manu Ginobili.

4. Sacramento: The Kings want Rubio, who wants to be there and could fall. If not, Tyreke Evans, Jonny Flynn or (no, really) Jrue Holiday.

5. Washington: Committed to moving the pick. GMs all over are telling each other, “I can get No. 5.” If the Wizards use it, Jordan Hill or Harden.

6. Minnesota: If the Timberwolves can’t move up for Thabeet, Evans. If Evans isn’t there, Holiday.

7. Golden State: Hill, if he’s there. Or the Warriors could trade the pick, since Don Nelson won’t play him anyway.

8. New York: Flynn or Stephen Curry

9. Toronto: DeMar DeRozan, best athlete in this draft, although not a major producer as a freshman at USC.

10. Milwaukee: Whichever point guard falls here, because the Bucks don’t intend to re-sign Ramon Sessions.

Meanwhile, among the big teams, those most in need of doing something:

Cleveland: With the clock running in LeBron James’ last season, the Cavaliers are seeking Camby or Wallace after their slow big guys were exposed in the Eastern finals.

San Antonio: Camby or Wallace would be the long-missing big guy alongside Tim Duncan for a last hurrah.

Portland: The Trail Blazers, who want a point guard, are eyeing Miller, Kidd and Chicago’s Kirk Hinrich.

Detroit: Has more than $20 million in cap space after the Allen Iverson deal, which killed the team. Joe Dumars, eager to get back in the game, considering Boozer and Gordon.

Dallas: Likeliest destination for Shaq, may trade Josh Howard for him.

Team most likely to be scattered to the winds:

Phoenix: Shaq wants out. Owner Bob Sarver almost dumped Amare Stoudemire at midseason to save money, decided to keep him, took a huge luxury tax hit, and could go back into budget mode at any moment. Steve Nash deferred extension talks to see what the Suns do and could be out of there just as fast.

mark.heisler@latimes.com

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

NBA draft

The first round. The draft is Thursday at 4 p.m. PDT on ESPN:

1. Clippers

2. Memphis Grizzlies

3. Oklahoma City Thunder

4. Sacramento Kings

5. Washington Wizards

6. Minnesota Timberwolves

7. Golden State Warriors

8. New York Knicks