"We were hoping he would be there. We heard talks, rumors about who different teams were going to pick, then we were pretty sure he was going to be there."
So, the Clippers expect some of their backcourt issues are resolved with Gordon providing some relief to Cuttino Mobley at the shooting-guard position.
But not the backcourt issue.
For all Gordon is expected to be, he is not a point guard, the position where the Clippers need the most help. Shaun Livingston will become a free agent next week when the Clippers decline to tender him a qualifying offer and is still rehabilitating from a devastating knee injury.
That will leave journeyman Brevin Knight as the only point guard on the roster.
The Clippers are expected to shop for a point guard once free agency opens with Sacramento's Beno Udrih, whom they had already made one failed attempt at landing last season, and Toronto's Jose Calderon as early targets.
"We will have to address those either through free agency or trades," Dunleavy said.
As for Thursday, the Clippers faced what they foresaw as an unlikely scenario. Gordon and Jerryd Bayless, the only player to work out privately twice with the team, were both remaining on the board when they picked.
"We liked Bayless, he had very good workouts," Dunleavy said. "He's a guy if Gordon wasn't there, we probably would have taken."
And with both still there, was there any debate?
Both Dunleavy and Baylor chuckled.
"No," they both said.
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In the draft's second round, the Clippers selected DeAndre Jordan, a center from Texas A&M, with the 35th selection.
Jordan is considered a raw prospect and averaged 7.9 points and six rebounds last season.
They also traded next year's second-round pick for the draft rights to Mike Taylor, selected 55th overall by the Portland Trail Blazers.
Taylor, a guard, played at Iowa State but was kicked off the team and then spent last season in the Development League with the Idaho Stampede, averaging 14.5 points.
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jonathan.abrams@latimes.com
