Sports Column

Pritchard, Allen itching to make a big move?

By kerry eggers

The Portland Tribune, Jun 10, 2009, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (6 Reader comments)

I could be way wrong, but I think Kevin Pritchard has that itch.

And Paul Allen will be right there to scratch it.

So if the opportunity arises for the Trail Blazers to move up in the draft and secure a lottery pick, don’t be surprised if they’re on it like a mosquito on a bare bottom.

Thanks to a 54-win regular season and the franchise’s first playoff appearance since 2003, Portland owns the 24th pick in the June 25 draft.

"But just because we’re not at the lottery, it doesn’t mean we won’t be in the lottery," Pritchard said two weeks ago. "I'm not making any promises. What I will tell you is, we are always open to all the possibilities. We’re not afraid to take chances and have some fun with the draft."

On Thursday, I asked Pritchard about the possibilities of dealing up to get into the lottery.

“Who knows? Depends on what’s offered and what we feel makes sense,” the general manager said in his best downplay mode. “I don’t think I can speculate on what those odds are. There are still three weeks left. It’s way too early.”

But Pritchard is working on it. There have been plenty of conversations with executives of other teams, as well as the usual backgrounding on, and with, candidates for the draft.

During last week’s draft combine at Chicago, members of Pritchard’s executive team interviewed Stephen Curry, the Davidson guard whose stock has shot up enough in recent weeks to make him a likely lottery selection.

Curry told reporters several lottery teams — Oklahoma City, Golden State, New York, Washington among them — have shown serious interest. And that Portland seemed “really hot” for him.

That may be more in Curry’s eyes than those of the Blazer brass, who are interested in a lot of prospects. But the sweet-shooting Curry makes some sense, if Portland intends to move one of its three point guards — Steve Blake, Sergio Rodriguez or Jerryd Bayless.

The 6-3, 180-pound Curry would be a nice complement to Brandon Roy in the backcourt, as a spot-up shooter off Roy’s creations. Blake filled that role superbly this season, shooting .427 from 3-point range. Curry has the potential to be an even better perimeter shooter than Blake.

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