Colangelo About to Add Maurizio Gherardini

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Bryan Colangelo clapped his hands and pumped his fists as four Raptor seasons of losses, firings, feuds and futility took a decided turn for the better last night thanks to a random drawing in the back rooms of the NBA's television studio.

He had every reason to be overjoyed.

For the first time in franchise history, the team will have the first overall pick in the NBA draft after winning the lottery, giving the president and general manager everything he could possibly want to remake a team that's had nothing but hard times in recent years.

Combined with more than $10 million (all figures U.S.) salary cap room, a solid core anchored by all-star Chris Bosh and promising forward Charlie Villanueva, the addition of the No.1 pick ? even in a year where there is no consensus top pick ? gives Colangelo flexibility never before enjoyed by a Raptor boss.

"I think we're playing with an absolute full deck," he said in a conference call from Secaucus, N.J. "It's a very good hand going through the process. This certainly has the makings of an exciting month ahead."

A wild ride it should be.

While there is no glaring No.1 pick, myriad possibilities exist for Colangelo.

Texas centre LaMarcus Aldridge, Italian forward Andrea Bargnani and LSU forward Tyrus Thomas are the top three players available according to most observers, but Colangelo has many other options.

He could use the salary cap money he has available to trade the pick for an established player, he could swap No.1 to move back a few notches and pick up a decent player already in the league, or he could determine that one of the players fits Toronto's needs so well in the next few years that he makes the selection.

Whatever happens, Colangelo is sure to become immensely popular among his peers.

"I don't know that there's going to be an inundation (of phone calls and offers) but I will say there are a lot ... of players people like at No.1," he said.

The likes of Aldridge and Thomas, as well as American collegians Rudy Gay of Connecticut and Adam Morrison of Gonzaga, are well known to most casual fans but the one name that keeps being linked to Toronto is Bargnani, a 7-footer with excellent shooting skills some have likened to Dallas Maverick all-star Dirk Nowitzki.

And with Colangelo about to add Maurizio Gherardini as his chief assistant ? Gherardini is currently the general manager of perennial Italian powerhouse Benetton Treviso ? talk of a package deal is sure to heat up.

"We are currently in the process of discussing the possibility of (Gherardini) coming to Toronto ... that should talk about the direction I want this (franchise) to go," said Colangelo. "There is no package deal right now but I can't rule out anything as we move forward."</div>

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