Atlanta moves up to 10th position in draft

By Paul Newberry, Associated Press, 06/29/99

Mookie Blaylock will be playing in a Warriors uniform next season. (AP file photo)

ATLANTA - Mookie Blaylock, who ran the Atlanta offense for seven years, was traded to the Golden State Warriors in a three-player deal Tuesday night that allowed the Hawks to move up to the 10th position in the NBA draft.

The Hawks sent Blaylock and one of their four first-round picks, No. 21 overall, to the Warriors for the higher pick as well as guard Bimbo Coles and forward Duane Ferrell.

The aging Hawks are revamping their team after being swept out of the playoffs in the second round by the younger, quicker New York Knicks. They looked to move Blaylock, a two-time member of the NBA's all-defensive team who took most of the blame for Atlanta's stagnant offense this season.

Still, Blaylock was caught off guard.

"It was very shocking, especially when you're with a team that long and you think you're one of the guys that's going to be around and you're going to end your career there,'' he said. "But that's part of the business. I know that's how it goes.''

By trading Blaylock, the Hawks might be able to take advantage of a draft deep in point guards. Maryland's Steve Francis and UCLA's Baron Davis are expected to go in the top five Wednesday night, but the Hawks might have a chance at Utah's Andre Miller, Arizona's Jason Terry or Duke's William Avery.

"This gives us an opportunity to move up significantly to a part of the draft where we feel we can get a high-quality player,'' general manager Pete Babcock said during a hastily called news conference. "The top 10 was what we were trying to get. We got to the fringe of it.''

Blaylock had been an integral part of the Hawks since he was acquired from New Jersey in 1992 for Rumeal Robinson. He led the league in steals in 1996-97 and 1997-98, joining Alvin Robertson and Magic Johnson as the only players to pull off that feat in consecutive seasons.

The 32-year-old Blaylock took a step back this year after the lockout ended, shooting only 37.9 percent from the field and averaging just 5.8 assists per game. Both figures were the worst since his rookie season with the Nets in 1989-90.

The Warriors tried to move up in the draft, hoping to land one of the point guards, then traded down when it became apparent they couldn't work a deal, general manager Garry St. Jean said.

"We think we exhausted just about every avenue out there to move up,'' St. Jean said. "Even if we were able to move up, we felt we would have to wait a while for a guy to develop there.''

As the point guard, Blaylock took much of the blame for a Hawks offense that averaged 86.3 points per game, beating only the woeful Chicago Bulls. More telling, they averaged less than 16 assists per game, by far the lowest figure in the league.

St. Jean wasn't bothered by those numbers. Blaylock has three years left on a contract that will pay him $4.2 million next season, $4.8 million in 2000-01 and $5.4 million in 2001-02.

"He's one of the best point guards in the league, a very dependable point guard, a guy who has been involved in a lot of winning,'' the general manager said. "This guy has plenty left and can still play at a pretty high level.''

The Hawks thanked Blaylock for his contributions over the past seven years, saying he shouldn't be remembered for one poor season.

"It was not totally his fault,'' Hawks coach Lenny Wilkens said. "This could be a whole new lease on life for him.''

Coles, 31, averaged 9.5 points and 4.6 assists for the Warriors, starting 32 of 48 games. The Hawks have another veteran point guard in Anthony Johnson, but the strength of that position on draft night provides a chance to land someone with more long-term potential.

Among the other promising players are Chris Herren of Fresno State and Vonteego Cummings of Pittsburgh.

Ferrell played in only eight games last season because of tendinitis in his left knee. The 34-year-old forward played at Georgia Tech and spent his first six NBA seasons with the Hawks, averaging a career-high 12.7 points in 1991-92.

Over the past two seasons, however, he has managed just 1.7 points.

Coles will make about $2.3 million in the final year of his contract, while Ferrell is set to make about $1.6 million next season.

The Hawks still have four first-round picks, which makes it a near-certainty they will work out another deal before the draft. However, team president Stan Kasten said it was unlikely the team would be able to move higher than No. 10.

If nothing else, Atlanta will probably trade away one or two picks to avoid a glut of young players requiring guaranteed three-year contracts next season.