http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news/cnnsi/20020329/hotlanta.html Who says NBA teams tank games at the end of the season to improve their lottery chances? OK, maybe some do, but apparently not this year's Atlanta Hawks. Through Thursday, coach Lon Kruger's squad were a robust 15-10 since Feb. 1, including a recent 6-1 stretch. Atlanta's integrity is all the more noteworthy when one considers that it gets to keep its own first-round pick in this year's Draft if it falls in the top 4. Otherwise, the Clippers get the pick as part of the 1999 Lorenzen Wright trade. Hawks GM Pete Babcock admits he'd love to play the lottery again (Atlanta got the No. 3 overall pick last year despite finishing with the sixth-worst record), but says it is more important for his players to know that the organization is committed to winning. "We need to finish the season strong," Babcock says. "We've got a lot of young guys. We want them to have a good feeling about the direction of the franchise." If all the speculation is true regarding us acquiring Odom this offseason, the Clippers would most likely use our pick in conjunction with Atlanta's pick to move up and draft Jason Williams. I sure didn't know the above clause was in effect.
Good catch, bro'. We would have to be creative at this juncture, though: we have to sign and trade drafted players this year (to get Odom, Lewis, et al) because we can't trade our own pick straight-away two years in a row (next year's pick going to the Grizz). Also, what if the Bulls decide they want Odom and the #4 for the #1? Of course, if Odom decided not to stick around there, we'd still be in the running.
No one in ther right mind would ever do Odom andnumber 4 for number one. They wouldn't even do Magette and 4 for 1.
