BLAZERS BASKETBALLGREG ODEN #1 DRAFT PICK

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Portland selected Greg Oden with the first pick in the NBA draft, traded Zach Randolph and chose a pair of European guards through additional first-round selections acquired on draft night.

The Blazers took the 7-foot Oden as expected, deciding on the Ohio State center over 6-10 forward Kevin Durant from Texas. Durant went to Seattle with the second pick.

Shortly thereafter, a trade sending Randolph and veteran guards Freddy Jones and Dan Dickau to New York in exchange for forward Channing Frye and guard Stevie Francis was announced.

For the second straight year, the Blazers used owner Paul Allen's wallet to purchase a late-round draft pick from the Phoenix Suns to select a Spanish guard.

On Thursday night, the Blazers bought the No. 24 pick from Phoenix and chose 6-5 shooting guard Rudy Fernandez. A year ago, Allen paid $3 million to buy the 27th pick, with which Portland got Sergio Rodriguez.

The Blazers then sent a second-round pick – No. 42 overall – and cash to Philadelphia for the 30th and final first-round selection. With it, the Blazers took 6-4 point guard Petteri Koponen from Finland.

Among Portland's three second-round picks were 6-10 Duke forward Josh McRoberts, a second-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference choice last winter, at No. 37, and Florida point guard Taurean Green at No. 52.

And another deal is in the works, Blazer execs admitted — one that involves a small forward, believed to be James Jones, a 6-8, four-year veteran who played the last two years with Phoenix.

"It'll probably take a week or 10 days" to complete, Portland assistant general manager Tom Penn said. "We have to formally finish the New York trade before we can do another trade that we hope would happen. That can't happen sequentially before the first one is done."

Indications are that Francis, 30, may wind up with another team, too. The veteran guard, a career 18.4-point scorer who averaged 11.3 points in 44 games last season, is set to make $16.44 million in 2007-08 and $17.18 million in 2008-09, the final year of his contract.

General Manager Kevin Pritchard had promised he wouldn't be afraid to make moves, and he was good on his word Thursday. A year after the Blazers had participated in an NBA-record six draft-day trades, the club's war room was again a flurry of activity. All in all, Portland acquired seven players during the day.

"I don't know how Kevin and Tom are going to top this next year," Portland coach Nate McMillan said. "It's an unbelievable day. We pretty much got everyone we targeted. We became more athletic, and we've added a lot of speed and shooters. We've added nothing but winners to this roster.

"I'm thrilled to death with what has happened. Besides our summer league, our veterans (training) camp should be exciting."

"We had a good plan today," Pritchard said. "Mr. Allen was absolutely incredible in the draft room. We wouldn't have been able to do what we did without him. He's really a special owner, and gave us an opportunity to be aggressive.

"Our goal has been to put together a really young nucleus and have some (salary cap) flexibility to bring in a closer. We're not there yet, but we've moved toward it."

Oden was the plum of the draft, and though Pritchard very much liked Durant, he couldn't pass on a big man with the potential to develop into one of the greats. Pritchard said after a Wednesday meeting with Blazer executives, coaches and scouts, a consensus was reached on Oden.

"The biggest thing was, who would get us to the championship?" Pritchard said. "We felt Greg would do that. They are both unbelievable players who will have huge careers, but we felt like Greg is a championship piece. We think that about Durant, too, but there's a slight edge to Greg. He was dominant (last year) playing with one hand, and he is the caregiver."

Modest and unassuming, Oden nevertheless displayed a quiet confidence when asked about his goal with the Trail Blazers.

"One day we can possibly win an NBA championship," he said. "That's what we're striving for."

Told of the enthusiastic response by Blazer fans after his selection at the Rose Garden Thursday, Oden laughed, "I heard they stormed the court. I wish I was there right in the middle, jumping up and down, too."

Thursday was a mixed bag for Oden, under the weather as he spoke with reporters at Madison Square Garden.

"This is my worst day with my cold," Oden said. "I woke up, my head was throbbing, my nose is running, it's crazy.

"But I'm enjoying this so much. It's one of the greatest days ever, but the cold is kind of bringing me down."

Oden doesn't have a lot of time to recover. There will be the all-night flight on Allen's personal jet from New York to Portland. Then there will be a short night's sleep before the noon rally Friday at Pioneer Courthouse Square.

In his interview with the Portland media, Oden came across as humble, grateful for the opportunity to play for the Blazers and willing to embrace Portland as his new hometown.

"That's my type of city," Oden said. "Not too small, not too big – a nice family-type city. And I love the weather, with no humidity – I really love that.

"I can't wait to be there to be able to go out in the community and meet new people. I'm very excited to get there and get started.

"It's going to be a lot of fun. I know there's a great family there and a great organization. I just can't wait to be a part of it."

Oden denied the report that the Blazers had informed Oden and his agent, Mike Conley Sr., prior to the draft that they had decided to take the Ohio State star with the first pick. "Last night it wasn't true, not to me, at least," he said.

The Blazers didn't send word until "Mr. Pritchard called me five minutes before they called my name." And what did he say?

"I could barely hear him," Oden said. "All I could hear was, 'You're going to be our guy.' "

Oden knows he is being considered as a messiah or savior for the Blazer franchise. He's willing to take that on, allowing that he'll assume any role McMillan desires of him.

"What I'm going to do is try to play my game, and hopefully that can mesh with everybody else's game," Oden said. "That's what we're going to try to do – everybody try to play their game as hard as they can, and hopefully we can win some games.

"There's a lot of pressure, but I know I'm going to be able to talk to the people in the organization. They're going to tell me straight up what my role is on this team, what they expect out of me. I'm going to try my best to make that happen."

Randolph was one of two players in the NBA last season who averaged better than 23 points and 10 rebounds, but his frequent offcourt issues made the Blazers look to move him. New York offered that opportunity and the chance to land a quality big man in the 6-11 Frye, 24, a second-year center/forward who averaged 9.5 points and 5.5 rebounds last season. Francis was included to make the deal work under salary-cap restrictions.

"Zach is a heck of a player; he's going to be very successful," Pritchard said. "I wouldn't be surprised if he is an all-star in the East. But with Oden, LaMarcus (Aldridge) and Channing as a young core of big guys we can rotate in and out, and adding McRoberts, we felt like going in a different direction was the better thing to do."

Added McMillan: "We felt like we had to give (Oden, Aldridge and Frye) the opportunity to grow and develop. It would be difficult to do that with Zach being there. The first year or so may be tough for these guys, but it will happen sooner than later. This group will be pretty good in the next  to three years.