Hawks 5th as Raptors get top pick By SEKOU SMITH The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published on: 05/24/06 Secaucus, N.J. — Hawks part-owner Ed Peskowitz isn't interested in a return trip to the NBA draft lottery next year. He made that abundantly clear Tuesday night after the Hawks came up short in their bid for the No. 1 overall pick in the June 28 draft. Toronto was the surprise winner, followed by Chicago, Charlotte and Portland. The Hawks will pick fifth. Part of Peskowitz's reasoning is that if the Hawks are absent that means the franchise's rebuilding plan will have crossed a significant threshold — a playoff berth for the first time in seven years. His real reason for not wanting to make a return trip as the team's representative, however, has more to do with his competitiveness. "This is my last time," Peskowitz said of his first experience as the team's representative. "[Darn] right. It's disappointing when you don't get the No. 1 pick. Everybody who comes here wants to win. But [Hawks GM Billy Knight] really believes that this draft is deeper than people are giving it credit for being. So we're going to have a chance to get a really good player with the fifth pick." If recent history is any indication, the Hawks could get a true impact player. Five times in the past six drafts the No. 5 pick has turned out to be a major contributor as a rookie. Charlotte selected first-team All-Rookie pick Raymond Felton with the fifth pick last year. Felton's predecessors at No. 5 include Devin Harris (Dallas) in 2004, two-time All-Star Dwyane Wade (Miami) in 2003, Jason Richardson (Golden State) in 2001 and Rookie of the Year Mike Miller (Orlando) in 2000. "All you have to do is study the draft in recent years and consider that the top five is usually well defined, regardless of what type of draft people expect it to be in any given year," Hawks coach Mike Woodson said by phone Tuesday night. Knight could not be reached for comment. While June's draft is considered to be devoid of a true "franchise" type talent at the top, it is by most estimates an extremely deep draft — bolstered by a thick crop of college-experienced players and no high schoolers, who were barred from the draft pool by virtue of last summer's age-limit rule prohibiting them from entering the draft directly or before their 19th birthday. "Most of our workouts are scheduled for after the [June 6-10] predraft camp," Woodson said. "So we'll get a better look at some guys between now and then. But our scouting staff has worked hard to make sure we're well prepared. " The Hawks drafted Marvin Williams with the No. 2 pick in last June's draft. Most evaluators considered him the best long-term talent in a draft. After a slow start, Williams, 19, finished strong and was a second-team All-Rookie pick. Whom the Hawks will take this season is anyone's guess, given Knight's penchant for keeping his plans under wraps until draft night. Villanova combo guard Randy Foye, Connecticut point guard Marcus Williams and forward Rudy Gay, and Washington guard Brandon Roy are the players most commonly mentioned by mock drafts as possibilities at No. 5. 資料來源 http://www.ajc.com/hawks/content/sports/hawks/stories/0524hawks.html --

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