Empty the Bench

In the eyes of the luckiest man of the moment, Portland Trail Blazers GM Kevin Pritchard, there’s no reason to just settle for Batman–he just might want to bring Robin aboard as well. You *may* have heard that Portland won the NBA’s draft lottery Tuesday night and, of course, the rights to Greg Oden, whom according to some reports is fully capable of averaging 45 points, 25 rebounds, and 10 blocked shots for the duration of his professional basketball career.

That in itself would make any franchise’s collective head spin in 360-degree circles for a week. But as that old saying goes, Pritchard seems completely focused on seizing the day and capitalizing on his team’s good fortune while he’s in the enviable position to do so. To that end, speculation is rising that with a few bargaining chips to play with, the Trail Blazers are not satisfied with drafting the best true center prospect since Tim Duncan–they want Oden’s running mate since his AAU days, Mike Conley Jr., who just happens to be the best point guard prospect in the draft.

Think landing the best bets at two key positions sounds foolhardy? Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski says think again:

Does Pritchard have enough with Zach Randolph, a 20-and-10 low post scorer and rebounder, and Jarrett Jack, a competent point guard, as the backbone of a major trade? As it looks now, the Blazers are determined to find out.

As for the Celtics, who sit miserably at No. 5, they logically should be one of the Blazers’ most promising trade partners. Without Oden or Kevin Durant, G.M. Danny Ainge is wisest to look hard at packaging his pick and a young player or two for veterans. Yet there is the pending problem of Ainge agreeing to do a major trade with the Blazers after that draft-day disaster a year ago that left them without Roy or Randy Foye – and with Sebastian Telfair. Another issue muddling this possibility is that Randolph is too similar to the Celtics’ Al Jefferson.

Truth be told, the Blazers might have to get the third overall pick out of Atlanta’s hands to guarantee that they can get Conley. The Hawks could get their point guard at No. 9 with Acie Law and use the third pick to bring back a powerful inside presence in Randolph. Of course, Atlanta may not have the salaries to give back for the maxed-out Randolph, and that’s where a third team could be useful.

Together, Oden and Conley are represented by Mike Conley Sr., who has aligned himself with Bill Duffy’s BDA Management. Duffy is a powerbroker agent who can facilitate the kind of major trade needed to happen here, one which likely will need the involvement of a third team.

The probability of pulling off such a coup still seems slim, but certainly not too far out there. Without question, finding a taker for Randolph should be major priority for Pritchard starting…. now, and while Jarrett Jack improved his game this past season and hinted at even bigger and better things at times, the Blazers have another young point in Sergio Rodriguez who they have high hopes for. If it means landing Conley and putting Oden further at ease in his transition from college kid to professional adult, you do it if the opportunity is there. Chemistry on the basketball court is never an overstated element, and having that already built in between your starting point guard and center would prove invaluable to this team’s overall development.

If I’m Pritchard, I find a way to make this work. Sweeten the pot with whatever’s necessary–don’t forget that Portland had a third first-round pick in 2006 that was spent on the British 6-11 center Joel Freeland. That kid’s still only 20 years old and playing out a contract in Europe for Gran Canaria, but with Aldridge and Oden in the fold, Freeland has become completely expendable. Why not offer Randolph, Jack, the rights to Freeland, and, if necessary, a 2010 first-round pick (which is bound to be a low one)?

Whatever happens, one thing’s for certain: this promises to be one of the most thrilling, unpredictable drafts in recent NBA history.

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