<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">FORT MILL - Do you know where Chris Paul will be drafted? If so, he'd sure appreciate you tipping him off. "People say, `You know where you're going?' and I say, `No clue' and they say `Ah, you don't have to tell me.' But honestly I don't know. ... So if you find out, tell me," Paul said Friday, following his workout with the Charlotte Bobcats. Paul, the former Wake Forest point guard, is generally considered the third- or fourth-best talent in this draft class. But he could last until Charlotte's No. 5 pick because the team drafting third -- Portland -- doesn't need a point guard and is entertaining trade offers. The Bobcats would consider trading up to No. 3, but only if the price Portland is asking comes down. "I think No. 3 is the key," to this draft, said Bobcats coach-general manager Bernie Bickerstaff. "I don't know if we'll own it or if somebody else will." The Trail Blazers already have a young point guard in Sebastian Telfair. Their need is at shooting guard, where one of the two high school stars -- Gerald Green or Martell Webster -- would fit. Green or Webster might still be available in the 6-10 range, which has Portland looking to trade down. The question is how far they could move down without losing their preferred options. They could stay at No. 3 to guarantee getting Green or Webster. That's where the draft becomes less like an evaluation and more like a poker game. Bickerstaff often uses the word "subterfuge" to describe the misinformation among NBA teams this time of year. A potential example: Blazers general manager John Nash expressed frustration this week when Green refused to work out with other draft candidates. Was that genuine frustration, or was Nash looking to dissuade other GMs from assuming he'd take Green if the Blazers stay at No. 3? Green's agent called Nash's statements posturing and indicated the Blazers have expressed the most interest in his client. Bickerstaff isn't above this game. When asked if it's possible Paul could last to the fifth pick, Bickerstaff replied, "It's a possibility he'd be there at seven or eight." The grin on Bickerstaff's face said he was in spin mode. When asked, Bickerstaff was understated in his praise of Paul, and explained why. "I certainly don't want to go overboard," Bickerstaff said, "because that doesn't do anything to enhance our situation." Translation: It's 10 days until the draft, and no one is in a rush to show his hand.</div> Source
Tis the season where GM's show why they get paid and what they're worth. It'd be tough with all the pressure on you which may decide the future of your team and all, and even after the draft, you're under the microscope for your picks and the reason for them. All i gotta say is Sund better handle ours right!!!!
