<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">If the NBA's draft lottery played out predictably for the Lakers -- sending Jeanie Buss home from Secaucus, N.J., with the No. 10 pick, much as expected -- all they had to do was look at their own roster Tuesday night for a sense of optimism. Making only the second lottery appearance in franchise history, the Lakers were unable to defy the odds and move into the top three spots, positioning themselves to draft a franchise-changing player and accelerate the rebuilding process after a 34-48 season. But the Lakers will have history on their side when they take part in the June 28 draft: The past 12 players taken 10th are still in the league, including Caron Butler, who was drafted by Miami in 2002 and sent to the Lakers as part of the Shaquille O'Neal trade last year. Eight of those former No. 10 picks were starters this season, leading the Lakers to believe they will end up with a player who can start in the NBA for a decade to come. Butler averaged 21.9 points in 15 games, with Lamar Odom out at the end of the season. "We've been preparing as if we were going to get the No. 10 pick," Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said. "You hope you get better, but you're certainly aware that you could get worse. But, statistically, we felt like we'd end up at No. 10." The Milwaukee Bucks, who finished with the league's sixth-worst record, wound up with the No. 1 pick -- they had only a 6.3 percent chance of receiving the top selection. The last time the Bucks drafted first overall was 1994, when they took Glenn Robinson. The Clippers also stayed put in the lottery and will have the No. 12 pick -- their lowest since 1997. "I think it's a good place to be," Clippers general manager Elgin Baylor said. "I like our position. If you ask us what we'd like, it would be players who can blend in with our team at the 12th and 32nd picks." The Clippers will have their lowest top pick since they selected Maurice Taylor with the 14th selection in 1997. But what the Clippers truly hope is that next season they will leave the lottery by making the playoffs. They have not been in the playoffs since the 1996-97 season. "I think the reality for us is that we have a group of guys that, if we stay healthy, we have a legitimate chance of making the playoffs," said coach Mike Dunleavy, who was in Secaucus as the Clippers' representative for the lottery. Atlanta, which finished a league-worst 13-69, will select second. Portland moved up to the third spot. Milwaukee general manager Larry Harris will have his choice of Utah center Andrew Bogut, North Carolina forward Marvin Williams or Wake Forest guard Chris Paul with the No. 1 pick. Harris said landing the No. 1 pick "helps solidify" having free-agent guard Michael Redd re-sign with the Bucks. "I think that that's a buzz that he's not going to get from any other team that may be out there," Harris said. The Lakers, who had only a 1.4 percent chance of winning the No. 1 pick, have needs everywhere except small forward. They are willing to take a high school player and wait on his development, and they also could trade the selection. They sent Buss, the owner's daughter and team's executive vice president of business operations, as their representative Tuesday -- and, sure enough, the subject of Phil Jackson came up during the lottery broadcast.</div> Source
