No longer build through the draft

[DJessen33@aol.com]

This is from a recent Seattle Times article. Seems everyone has noticed the 
change in the Raptor's fortune once they got some experienced inside players. 
Note that the Griz also want to trade out of the draft... 

<For all of you who are excited about the Sonics being in the lottery
                      "because we get to see new players," consider that you 
don't have
                      much company around the league. Dallas, New Jersey, 
Denver and
                      Boston (if not a top-three pick) already have traded 
out of the
                      ping-pong balls. Furthermore, eight playoff teams - 
Philadelphia,
                      Miami, Milwaukee, Minnesota, Orlando, Portland, 
Sacramento
                      and San Antonio - have traded their way out of the NBA 
draft
                      altogether. 

                      Vancouver soon may join their ranks, dangling their 
lottery pick,
                      guaranteed to be no lower than No. 4 overall, for a 
veteran player. 

                      It's becoming more and more clear that you cannot build 
winning
                      teams through the draft. If you've got great young 
players, it's
                      difficult to keep them in losing situations. >

DJessen33