The Vancouver Grizzlies and Toronto Raptors picked through the NBA's castoffs Saturday and began building their teams with a couple of point guards.
Toronto used the first pick to get the prize of the expansion draft, Chicago guard B.J. Armstrong, and Vancouver plucked New York's Greg Anthony with the second pick.The dilemma for Raptors vice president of basketball operations Isiah Thomas is whether to keep Armstrong, a solid veteran with championship experience and a sparkling image, or swap him. The Washington Bullets and Charlotte Hornets both are interested, and the Bullets own the fourth pick in next week's college draft.
The Raptors have the seventh pick in the draft, picking right after Vancouver.
Thomas said Armstrong, a member of the Bulls' three-time NBA title winners, may be too valuable to trade.
"He's everything we'd like for our organization to represent," Thomas said. "He represents and brings a championship aura.
"There's no dilemma. I know there's a lot of interest in B.J. Armstrong. However, from what I know, when people are that interested in something you have, maybe you need to take a closer look."
In Anthony, the Grizzlies got a player with good potential but who has spent his career as a reserve. Last season, he averaged more than 15 minutes a game in 61 games, shooting 44 percent and producing 6.1 points a game.
Among the better-known players selected by Vancouver were Indiana guard Byron Scott, Cleveland guard Gerald Wilkins, and New Jersey center Benoit Benjamin. The Grizzlies also took the Magic's Rodney Dent after Orlando packaged him with a 1996 second-round draft pick.Benjamin not only will make $3.5 million next season, but has a
reputation as a loafer prone to nagging injuries.
Stu Jackson, the Grizzlies' general manager, went into the draft wanting to avoid such high-priced veterans and thought he largely succeeded.
"We feel very comfortable with the contracts, which is obviously a factor in the expansion draft selection," he said.
In addition to taking some young players like Tony Massenburg and Dontonio Wingfield, the Raptors selected veterans Willie Anderson, Jerome Kersey and John Salley, a teammate of Thomas with the Pistons' 1989 and 1990 championship teams.
One of the projects the Raptors took on was Detroit's Oliver Miller, whose chronic weight problems have overshadowed his considerable basketball skills. Several attempts at counseling and special diets haven't helped him slim down, but Thomas thinks Miller may just need a more nurturing environment.
"We'd like to look at him as a person, reach out to him emotionally," Thomas said. "He has some human problems we'd like to help with."
Both teams avoided some of the other problem players in the expansion pool, like Houston's Vernon Maxwell and Washington's Kevin Duckworth.
Several players, such as Phoenix's Trevor Ruffin, who was selected by Vancouver, were restricted free agents who immediately become unrestricted free agents.
The draft was conducted via conference call from the NBA's offices in Secaucus, N.J.
*****
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Bye-bye, Blue
The Utah Jazz's contribution to the expansion pool was guard Blue Edwards, who was Vancouver's 13th - and last - choice. Edwards' exposure in the draft came as a bit of a surprise considering that the Jazz acquired him via midseason trade.
Scott Layden, Jazz director of basketball operations, declined to comment on specific reasons for the team's decision to make Edwards available.
"Blue helped us this year," Layden said. "That's what made the decision so hard. We hated to part with any of our players."
It's no secret, however, that the coaching staff became disenchanted with Edwards' play in the playoffs. There's also the fact that his departure gives the Jazz a bigger salary slot to work with.
At season's end, Edwards expressed dissatisfaction with the way he suddenly went from contributor in the regular season to non-factor in the playoffs.
"For management to say you're coming back for a specific purpose, and then not be utilized . . . If you're competitive, you want to play," he said.
Layden said he wishes Edwards well in Vancouver.
"We hope there's no hard feelings," Layden said. "There certainly aren't any on our end."