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The Golden State Warriors, already a major part of Raptor draft lore, could be the team that knocks Toronto right out of the proceedings this year.
A handful of league and team sources say the Warriors are trying to obtain the 16th pick in tomorrow's draft to select one of the guards the Raptors covet, a move that could trigger Toronto to dump its 20th selection for a player, a pick further down in the first round or a combination of second-round and future picks.
That would perfectly match the signals being sent by Toronto general manager Glen Grunwald and his assistant Bob Zuffelato, who have already spoken of a willingness to deal and who spent part of the weekend at a couple of clandestine workouts in San Antonio looking at players who would probably be available in the late 20s of the draft.
"Some people think that from our pick down, you can get a similar player further down the draft," Zuffelato said yesterday after the Raptors held their final private workout for players at the Air Canada Centre. "If we can gain an advantage by moving down, we'd do it."
Philadelphia has the 16th pick and is dangling it to the Warriors, who have the No.3 selection and would take another first-rounder.
The deal could include players such as Derrick Coleman of the Sixers and Larry Hughes or Erick Dampier of the Warriors but it could also just be a swap of picks since the Warriors owe the Sixers a first-rounder in 2005 from an earlier trade.
The Warriors would use the Philadelphia pick — or have the Sixers make the selection for them as part of a deal that won't be announced until the free agent market opens July 16 — to choose one of the point guards the Raptors are interested in. And if Golden State takes Gonzaga's Dan Dickau, or Frank Williams of Illinois, it might be enough to let Grunwald take one of the offers he's got for the 20th selection.
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`Some people think that from our pick down, you can get a similar player further down the draft. If we can gain an advantage by moving down, we'd do it.'
Raptors assistant general manager Bob Zuffelato
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There are some clubs without first-round picks — Minnesota, Boston, Atlanta, Seattle and Dallas — while the Miami would like to trade up to get an additional first-round pick. Each of those teams has second-round picks that could be included in any trades.
Golden State, of course, was the team that sent Toronto Vince Carter and cash for Antawn Jamison in an infamous 1998 draft night deal.
As a hedge against getting the chance to move back, or against not being able to pick any of the point guards they like, the Raptors have also worked out a handful of small forwards and big men of late, including one who might not appear in the NBA for at least a season.
In what would be a cost-saving move, the Raptors could draft Slovenian Jiri Welsch, an intriguing 6-7 guard who is a fine shooter with some ball-handling skills, and then have him return to the Italian League for another season.
That would allow the Raptors to save his salary for this season while they clear some salary cap room and allow Welsch to develop while playing regular minutes in a good league.
The 20th selection in the draft would be guaranteed a three-year contract worth about $2.8 million (U.S.) with a team option for a fourth season. Second-round picks aren't guaranteed a contract at all.
Raps Ready To Deal...
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