Wednesday, May 24, 2006
The day after the lottery
The Blazers went back to work Wednesday after the disappointing draft lottery
in which they ended up with the worst pick they could have gotten -- No. 4.
"What we're looking for is breaks, and we can't seem to get a break here,"
coach Nate McMillan said. "We had an opportunity (at the No. 1 pick), we
didn't get it, so what we have to do is move on and really just try to make
the most out of the fourth pick. We still should get something good in that
spot."
Make no mistake, McMillan wanted the No. 1 spot. But he also admitted that an
advantage of the fourth pick is that it takes some of the decision-making
pressure off the Blazers, especially in a year when there is no clear-cut top
player in the LeBron James, Yao Ming mold.
"I think it depends on the team, but yes, I do feel that way, that there's
not a consensus No. 1," he siad. "If we were No. 1, we would probably be
looking at something different than Toronto."
Several mock drafts have Portland picking Washington's Brandon Roy at No. 4.
McMillan said he has seen Roy play since Roy was a high school junior in
Seattle. But McMillan also was guarded in what he would say about Roy.
"I think solid, I think basketball IQ, very high," McMillan said.
Meanwhile, Portland worked two post players Wednesday, UCLA's Ryan Hollins
and Wyoming's Justin Williams. Both are seen as second-round picks, with
Williams rated slightly higher.
"It was a good workout -- I liked the energy, they both competed," said
McMillan, who added that he won't comment on individual players after
workouts.
Williams admitted he was a little tired, having already worked out for
Washington and Golden State. But he quickly got a sense of what playing for
McMillan might be like.
"This one was the toughest one, which I guess is pretty good so I can go
harder," he said.
Williams, by the way, averaged an amazing 5.4 blocked shots per game as a
senior, breaking the Wyoming record set by Blazers center Theo Ratliff.
Workouts continue Thursday with four more players: Stanford forward Matt
Haryasz; former South Medford High forward Eric Fiegi, a two-time NAIA
all-American at Corban College who plays for the Salem Stampede of the
semi-pro IBL; George Washington forward Pops Mensah-Bonsu; and Louisiana Tech
forward Paul Millsap.
MT
http://tinyurl.com/r2ps4
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