"Not to worry, Blake Griffin will have plenty of room to operate. The Clippers agreed to a deal Wednesday that will send power forward Zach Randolph to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for guard Quentin Richardson, according to two NBA sources with knowledge of the deal. Though the Clippers were reluctant to trade Randolph - a solid 20-point, 10-rebound- a-game player whom they had targeted in a trade last season - the move was made to clear playing time for Griffin, the No. 1 overall pick in last week's draft. Due to league rules, the deal can not be completed until next week. Randolph was the team's leading scorer and second-leading rebounder last season. He averaged 20.9 points, 9.4 rebounds in 39 games after coming over in a midseason trade with the New York Knicks. But when the Clippers won the lottery and settled on the burly 6-foot-10 sophomore from Oklahoma, there was no longer room in the frontcourt for Randolph, Chris Kaman and Marcus Camby. The deal also creates an interesting homecoming with the 6-foot-6 Richardson, who played four seasons with the Clippers from 2000-04, before signing a rich free agent contract with the Phoenix Suns. Richardson averaged 10.2 points for the New York Knicks last season, but was shipped to Memphis in a draft-day trade for Darko Milicic. The Clippers are not expected to buy out Richardson's contract, and see him as a good fit for the more up-tempo system they will run next season.

The Clippers also benefit financially from the deal, getting out from under the $33 million owed to Randolph over the next two seasons, while taking back only Richardson's $9 million salary next season. Because of the difference in Randolph and Richardson's salaries, the Clippers also receive an $8 million trade exception, which they can use later."