When you're 2-9 and expected to be significantly better, the ground shakes, deals fall into place, pieces move in different directions. When everything settles, you look around, see what you have and hope you're better than you were.
That seemed to be the approach of the Los Angeles Clippers in the hours before they faced the 76ers last night in the Wachovia Center. "You're always looking to make deals," Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said. "You're more inclined to do something if you're 2-9 vs. 9-2."
The Clippers were more than mildly inclined.
The Clippers acquired low-post big man Zach Randolph and guard/forward Mardy Collins from the New York Knicks in return for forward Tim Thomas and guard Cuttino Mobley. Earlier in the day, the Knicks sent guard Jamal Crawford to the Golden State Warriors for forward Al Harrington.
The deal has Big 5/city connections: Collins played at Simon Gratz High and Temple, and Thomas for Villanova and the Sixers. Mobley prepped at Cardinal Dougherty High.
(Whether the Knicks' deal, which helped reduce their future payroll, will have ramifications in terms of any possible availability of Cleveland's LeBron James in the summer of 2010 remains to be seen.)
Amazingly, only Chris Kaman, Al Thornton and Paul Davis remain from the Clippers roster that finished last season.
The Clippers' deal was simply the next step in remaking the team after losing Elton Brand and Corey Maggette to unrestricted free agency and adding Baron Davis in free agency and acquiring Marcus Camby from Denver.
"When the team started out 2-9, you're looking for ways to be more competitive," Dunleavy said. "We acquired a very talented big man and a very solid player. We had to give up two veterans who've been with us, good performers."
Dunleavy is far more comfortable with two big men with post skills. The Clippers had their best level of success with Brand and Kaman. Now, they have Randolph to pair with Kaman.
"[Randolph] is 27 years old, and we had a chance to get somebody who can be good for us now and in the future," he said. "We felt it was something we had to do."
The deal began coming together Thursday.
"It kind of took on a life of its own between last night and today," Dunleavy said. He also said that, despite Internet speculation, he never was involved in a three-team situation.
Nor was he concerned about the Knicks' motives.
"When you look to make deals, you don't really worry about what the other guys are doing," he said. "They have their reasons. You think about what's good for you."
Randolph arrives with career scoring averages of 16.4 points and 8.2 rebounds in 467 games; he averaged 17.6 points and a team-high 10.3 rebounds for the Knicks last season. He contributed 20.5 points and 12.5 rebounds in the first 11 games of this season.
Collins was a first-round pick of the Knicks in 2006. Mobley, a key member of the Clippers when they reached the Western Conference semifinals in 2005-06, is a 10-year veteran; he was averaging 13.7 points and 2.6 rebounds this season.
Thomas joined the Clippers as a free agent in '06 and averaged 11.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 149 games. *
For more Sixers coverage, read the Daily News' Sixers blog, Sixerville, at http://go.philly.com/sixerville.
