Triton
05-23-2006, 08:04 PM
New general manager Bryan Colangelo got a huge boost in his effort to rebuild the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night, winning the NBA lottery and the No. 1 pick in next month's draft.
The Raptors, who had the NBA's fifth worst record at 27-55, jumped four slots in winning the lottery for the first time.
"For us to have this kind of luck is a symbol of a reversal of fortune going forward," Colangelo said.
The Chicago Bulls added to the Knicks' season of misery by getting the second pick for the June 28 draft in New York.
The Knicks traded their first-round pick to the Bulls in a pre-season trade for centre Eddy Curry. Chicago (41-41) obviously got the best of the deal, getting rid of an unhappy player, making the playoffs in the process and getting the No. 2 pick, which New York had earned with a 23-59 record in Larry Brown's first season.
The mark was the Knicks' worst since 1985-86, Patrick Ewing's rookie season.
Charlotte will have the third pick, which coincides with its third-worst record.
Portland, which had the league's worst record at 21-61, was big loser in the lottery. Despite a 25 per cent chance of winning the pingpong ball drawing, the Trail Blazers slipped all the way to fourth.
Trail Blazers President Steve Patterson believes his team will still get a good player.
"You may find a player with as big an impact at No. 4 or even No. 6 as you may at No. 1," Patterson said.
New Orleans guard Chris Paul was the fourth pick in last year's draft and he won the rookie of the year award, averaging 16.1 points, 7.8 assists and a league-best 2.2 steals..
Atlanta dropped from No. 4 to fifth. The other nine teams in the lottery stayed in the same order as their records.
Minnesota is sixth and will be followed by Boston, Houston, Golden State, Seattle, Orlando, New Orleans, Philadelphia and Utah.
There doesn't seem to be a definitive No. 1 pick for the June 28 draft to be held in New York.
Underclassmen Adam Morrison of Gonzaga, Texas centre LaMarcus Aldridge and LSU forward Tyrus Thomas are considered top candidates.
Other players who considered likely be chosen early in the first round include: Connecticut forward Rudy Gay, guards Randy Foye of Villanova and Marcus Williams of Connecticut, Bradley centre Patrick O'Bryant, Brandon Roy of Washington and Rodney Carney of Memphis.
Andrea Bargnani of Italy could also be selected very early in the first round. Spain's Rudy Fernandez and Tiago Splitter, Oleksiy Pecherov, who is playing in France, and Saer Sene, a 7-footer playing in Belgium, are other foreign first-round candidates.
Under the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement, this is the first year high school players won't be eligible for the draft.
The Raptors were in the lottery for a fourth-straight season. They picked seventh last year (Charlie Villanueva), eighth in 2004 (Rafael Araujo) and fourth in 2003 (Chris Bosh).
Along with their first overall selection, the Raptors also pick 35th and 56th in the second round. They also had the 20th pick, but traded it to the New York Knicks in the Jalen Rose-Antonio Davis trade Feb. 3.
Colangelo has dropped few hints about his plans, saying that he planned to keep all options open.
The Raptors are a team with no shortage of holes, with size up-front to complement star forward Bosh among the key needs. The team may also need a point guard, with soon-to-be free agent Mike James saying publicly that he'd like to sign with Houston.
Toronto fans are already showing their excitement. The crowd at a Blue Jays game cheered loudly when the Raptors news was flashed across the Rogers Centre scoreboard.
Colangelo was hired by the Raptors in February after resigning as general manager and president of the Phoenix Suns -- a team in which his father, Jerry Colangelo, is chairman and chief executive.
Colangelo was the NBA's 2005 executive of the year after the Suns' retooled roster won a league-high 62 games.
Toronto fired Rob Babcock on Jan. 26.
The Raptors, who had the NBA's fifth worst record at 27-55, jumped four slots in winning the lottery for the first time.
"For us to have this kind of luck is a symbol of a reversal of fortune going forward," Colangelo said.
The Chicago Bulls added to the Knicks' season of misery by getting the second pick for the June 28 draft in New York.
The Knicks traded their first-round pick to the Bulls in a pre-season trade for centre Eddy Curry. Chicago (41-41) obviously got the best of the deal, getting rid of an unhappy player, making the playoffs in the process and getting the No. 2 pick, which New York had earned with a 23-59 record in Larry Brown's first season.
The mark was the Knicks' worst since 1985-86, Patrick Ewing's rookie season.
Charlotte will have the third pick, which coincides with its third-worst record.
Portland, which had the league's worst record at 21-61, was big loser in the lottery. Despite a 25 per cent chance of winning the pingpong ball drawing, the Trail Blazers slipped all the way to fourth.
Trail Blazers President Steve Patterson believes his team will still get a good player.
"You may find a player with as big an impact at No. 4 or even No. 6 as you may at No. 1," Patterson said.
New Orleans guard Chris Paul was the fourth pick in last year's draft and he won the rookie of the year award, averaging 16.1 points, 7.8 assists and a league-best 2.2 steals..
Atlanta dropped from No. 4 to fifth. The other nine teams in the lottery stayed in the same order as their records.
Minnesota is sixth and will be followed by Boston, Houston, Golden State, Seattle, Orlando, New Orleans, Philadelphia and Utah.
There doesn't seem to be a definitive No. 1 pick for the June 28 draft to be held in New York.
Underclassmen Adam Morrison of Gonzaga, Texas centre LaMarcus Aldridge and LSU forward Tyrus Thomas are considered top candidates.
Other players who considered likely be chosen early in the first round include: Connecticut forward Rudy Gay, guards Randy Foye of Villanova and Marcus Williams of Connecticut, Bradley centre Patrick O'Bryant, Brandon Roy of Washington and Rodney Carney of Memphis.
Andrea Bargnani of Italy could also be selected very early in the first round. Spain's Rudy Fernandez and Tiago Splitter, Oleksiy Pecherov, who is playing in France, and Saer Sene, a 7-footer playing in Belgium, are other foreign first-round candidates.
Under the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement, this is the first year high school players won't be eligible for the draft.
The Raptors were in the lottery for a fourth-straight season. They picked seventh last year (Charlie Villanueva), eighth in 2004 (Rafael Araujo) and fourth in 2003 (Chris Bosh).
Along with their first overall selection, the Raptors also pick 35th and 56th in the second round. They also had the 20th pick, but traded it to the New York Knicks in the Jalen Rose-Antonio Davis trade Feb. 3.
Colangelo has dropped few hints about his plans, saying that he planned to keep all options open.
The Raptors are a team with no shortage of holes, with size up-front to complement star forward Bosh among the key needs. The team may also need a point guard, with soon-to-be free agent Mike James saying publicly that he'd like to sign with Houston.
Toronto fans are already showing their excitement. The crowd at a Blue Jays game cheered loudly when the Raptors news was flashed across the Rogers Centre scoreboard.
Colangelo was hired by the Raptors in February after resigning as general manager and president of the Phoenix Suns -- a team in which his father, Jerry Colangelo, is chairman and chief executive.
Colangelo was the NBA's 2005 executive of the year after the Suns' retooled roster won a league-high 62 games.
Toronto fired Rob Babcock on Jan. 26.