The Pelicans picked Dawson at No. 56 last month.

The 22-year-old forward averaged 12.8 points and 10.3 rebounds while playing in four games for the Clippers at the recent Orlando summer league. He finished second in the standings in rebounding average and had a double-double in three of his games.

Dawson played four years at Michigan State, finishing as the school's career leader in blocks (142). He was a 2011 McDonald's All-American at Lew Wallace High in Gary, Indiana.

The deal was announced Wednesday.

 

The Clippers can have their DeAndre and back him up, too.

Multi-talented forward Josh Smith will join what has become arguably the NBA's most improved bench unit at a very affordable rate, Real GM reports. Because the Clippers already have filled out their salary cap space and exceptions, the deal likely must be for the NBA minimum.

 

Josh Smith reportedly will sign minimum contract with Clippers

 

That's fine with Smith because he still will be paid by the Pistons, who cut him last season. He finished strong after signing with the Rockets and even played a major role in Houston's historic comeback from a 3-1 deficit against the Clippers in the second round of the playoffs.

Smith joins a bench unit combining fellow newcomers Lance Stephenson and Cole Aldrich with holdover guards Jamal Crawford and Austin Rivers. Paul Pierce likely will replace departed Matt Barnes as the starting small forward. The Clippers' new talent should help resolve their serious bench issues that led to fatigue, particularly in that seven-game series loss to the Rockets.

The move should pay off because it puts Smith mostly at power forward, where he could play alongside re-signed center DeAndre Jordan or power forward Blake Griffin. He struggles when he plays on the perimeter because of his terrible shooting, but his passing, ball-handling and size and athleticism are welcome on the interior, as he showed in helping the Rockets to the Western Conference finals — a stage the Clippers' franchise never has reached.