was Paul Pierce offered to the Blazers in a package for the rights to the #1?

[keltsfan]

The bit of text I originally emailed was in ESPN's Rumor section of the NBA
front page.  But the report it was taken from comes from Portland's
"Oregonian" as I've since determined just now.  - Ravi

----------------------------------------------

Summer of speculation
Posted by Casey Holdahl July 02, 2007 14:35PM
Categories: Rumors
The internets have been abuzz the last few days thanks to Jason Quick's
story that ran in the Sunday Oregonian. If you haven't read it yet, here it
is.

It's fine work as always from Quick, but what sets this piece apart are the
numerous cliff-hangers within the story regarding just which players were
offered in exchange for the No. 1 pick and why Zach Randolph (at least in
part) was traded.

First, the reported offers for the pick that became Greg Oden:

As he drove to Eugene to watch a play with his daughter on May 23, less than
24 hours after winning the lottery, Pritchard took a call from an Eastern
Conference general manager, with whom he had past dealings. 
The executive made an offer that was moderate in shock value: A five-time
All-Star and this year's lottery pick in exchange for the No. 1 pick and the
Blazers' 2008 first-round pick.

As enticing as the offer was -- the Blazers in years past had made a run at
the All-Star player -- Pritchard declined on the spot. 


So a five-time All-Star on an Eastern Conference team that had a lottery
pick. Not too many guys fit that bill. On to the next purposed trade.

A team within the Blazers division proposed a trade involving a future Hall
of Famer and a standout rookie for the Blazers' No. 1 pick. 
As Pritchard described it, he stayed up until 3 a.m. in his hotel room with
his staff considering the offer. 

"We banged our heads together all night," Pritchard said the next morning.

Ultimately, Pritchard and his staff came to a conclusion: They would not
make the deal, determining the No. 1 pick was so valuable, that only a trade
involving Cleveland star LeBron James would be considered. 


> -----Original Message-----
> From: celtics-bounces at igtc.com [mailto:celtics-bounces at igtc.com] On Behalf
Of Mark
> Piotrowski
> Sent: Monday, July 02, 2007 10:01 PM
> To: celtics at igtc.com
> Subject: was Paul Pierce offered to the Blazers in a package for the
rights to the #1?
> 
> uh.... OK i'll bite.
> 
> a source maybe?  My guesses are:
> 
> a.  the first one is probably BOS -- since only Danny would try and
> get a future #1 along with Oden....
> 
> b. my guess is KG/Foye (MIN) as the 2nd
> 
> c.  why on earth would Pritchard even consider either of these?
boe---gus.
> 
> (the other) mark
> 
> >HOF's Offered For Top Pick
> >
> >Jul 1 - As Kevin Pritchard drove to Eugene to watch a play with his
daughter
> >on May 23, less than 24 hours after winning the lottery, Pritchard took a
> >call from an Eastern Conference general manager, with whom he had past
> >dealings. The executive made an offer that was moderate in shock value: A
> >five-time All-Star and this year's lottery pick in exchange for the No. 1
> >pick and the Blazers' 2008 first-round pick. A team within the Blazers
> >division proposed a trade involving a future Hall of Famer and a standout
> >rookie for the Blazers' No. 1 pick.
> >
> >As Pritchard described it, he stayed up until 3 a.m. in his hotel room
with
> >his staff considering the offer. With bright lights illuminating the
court
> >below, Pritchard sat in a darkened corner with the general manager. The
> >general manager wanted the Blazers' No. 1 pick. And he was willing to
offer
> >a player that will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
> >
> >Within the span of 24 hours, the Blazers had offers for two certain Hall
of
> >Famers in exchange for the No. 1 pick.
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