Re: Let the trade speculation begin

[CeltsSteve@AOL.com]

Hmmmmmm. . . the Wizards are possibly interested in trading the pick as they 
don't want to take a chance on a HS kid with the #1 pick, huh? That 
previously rumored deal of Kenny and the #10 and #11 picks to the Wizards for 
Rip Hamilton and spare parts might be attractive if the #1 pick is also 
coming back Boston's way. 

The C's would still have the option to re-trade the pick down a few spots for 
a slightly lower pick (Battier?) along with acquiring another vet or take a 
chance on a HS kid themselves.




Balls Bounce Wizards' Way as They Claim Top Pick

By TOM CANAVAN
.c The Associated Press

SECAUCUS, N.J. (May 20) -- Michael Jordan finally won something with the 
Washington Wizards. 

Jordan's Wizard's won the NBA Draft Lottery on Sunday and the right to make 
the first choice in next month's draft. 

Jordan, who joined the Wizards on Jan. 19, 2000, following a career in which 
he led the Chicago Bulls to six championships, has seen Washington post a 
36-89 record, including 19-63 this past season. 

The Wizards had the third best chance of winning the ping-pong ball lottery, 
and the fact that they won wasn't surprising. 

The team with the best chance of winning has now not won since 1990. 

The Chicago Bulls, which had the best chance of winning with 250 of 1,000 
chances, actually slipped to fourth in this lottery in which the Los Angeles 
Clippers and Atlanta Hawks joined the Wizards in beating the odds. 

The Clippers, who had only 44 chances in the lottery, jumped from seventh to 
second, while the Hawks (89 chances) moved from fifth to third. 

Chicago will have the fourth pick in the draft on June 27 in New York City. 
Golden State, which had the second most chance with 200, slipped to fifth and 
it was followed by Vancouver, the New Jersey Nets, Cleveland, Detroit, 
Boston, Denver, Seattle and Houston. 

In the lottery, ping-pong balls numbered one through 14 are placed in a drum 
and four are drawn to determine a four-digit combination. 

Neither Jordan, the Wizards' president of basketball operations, nor new 
coach Doug Collins attended the lottery. 

Collins, who was doing the color commentary on Game 7 of Philadelphia-Toronto 
Eastern Conference semifinal, smiled when his face was flashed on the screen 
and then quipped that he and Jordan had put pressure on assistant general 
manager Rod Higgins to come through. 

While Higgins did, the problem for the Wizards is there isn't a Jordan in the 
draft. 

In fact, the top player picked might end up being a high school player. Eddy 
Curry of Thornwood High School in Illinois and Kwame Brown of Glynn Academy 
in Georgia are highly regarded. Shane Battier of national champion Duke is 
one of the top players coming out of the college ranks. 

Right away, however, indications were that the Wizards would trade the pick. 

Jordan, who also is considering a comeback as a player, has said he would be 
reluctant to select a high school senior or a player with little college 
experience. That would appear to eliminate all the top prospects except 
Battier. 

"Now we have an opportunity to exercise some trades, obviously,'' said 
assistant general manager Rod Higgins, who represented the Wizards at the 
lottery ceremony. "There's not a Patrick Ewing; there's not a Shaquille 
O'Neal.'' 

The Wizards, who haven't won a playoff game in 13 years, had never moved up 
on lottery day before Sunday. One year, 1993, they dropped the maximum three 
slots and chose sixth despite having the third-worst record the season 
before. 

The Nets beat the odds to win last year's lottery. They selected Cincinnati 
forward Kenyon Martin with the top pick. 

AP-NY-05-20-01 1940EDT