Toronto Gets No. 1 pick, Blazers No. 4

Salem-News.com Sports

SECAUCUS, N.J. - New general manager Bryan Colangelo got a huge boost in his effort to rebuild the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night, winning the NBA lottery and the No. 1 pick in next month's draft.

The Raptors, who had the NBA's fifth worst record at 27-55, jumped four slots in winning the lottery for the first time.

"For us to have this kind of luck is a symbol of a reversal of fortune going forward," Colangelo said.

The Chicago Bulls added to the Knicks' season of misery by getting the second pick for the June 28th draft in New York.

The Knicks traded their first-round pick to the Bulls in a preseason trade for center Eddy Curry. Chicago (41-41) obviously got the best of the deal, getting rid of an unhappy player, making the playoffs in the process and getting the No. 2 pick, which New York had earned with a 23-59 record in Larry Brown's first season.

The mark was the Knicks' worst since 1985-86, Patrick Ewing's rookie season.

Charlotte will have the third pick, which coincides with its third-worst record.

Portland, which had the league's worst record at 21-61, was the big loser in the lottery. Despite a 25 percent chance of winning the pingpong ball drawing, the Trail Blazers slipped all the way to fourth.

Atlanta dropped from No. 4 to fifth. The other nine teams in the lottery stayed in the same order as their records.

Minnesota is sixth and will be followed by Boston, Houston, Golden State, Seattle, Orlando, New Orleans, Philadelphia and Utah.

There doesn't seem to be a definitive No. 1 pick for the June 28th draft to be held in New York.

Underclassmen Adam Morrison of Gonzaga, Texas center LaMarcus Aldridge and LSU forward Tyrus Thomas are considered top candidates.

Under the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement, this is the first year high school players won't be eligible for the draft.

Colangelo was hired by the Raptors in February after resigning as general manager and president of the Phoenix Suns - a team in which his father, Jerry Colangelo, is chairman and chief executive.

Colangelo was the NBA's 2005 executive of the year after the Suns' retooled roster won a league-high 62 games.

Toronto fired Rob Babcock on Jan. 26th.

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