The Blazers are interested in moving up in the draft, but most likely not as high as the third or fourth pick.

?I wouldn?t say 3 or 4 is where we?re looking to go,? Portland General Manager Kevin Pritchard says.

During the past four years, the Blazers have made 14 deals at or just before draft night.

?We?re looking at trying to move up with our first pick,? says Mike Born, Portland?s director of NBA scouting. ?We?re trying to have an early second-round pick, maybe even have another late second-round pick.

?If we find a guy we like, we?ll try to put ourselves in position to get him.?

The Rockets and Blazers are two teams that will be working No. 3 Nets and No. 4 Wolves to move up in the draft, league sources say.

RealGM Note: DeMarcus Cousins and Derrick Favors are considered to be top-four prospects.

A ?psychotic? Boston man is accused of threatening to kill Juwan Howard and his family as well as attempting to extort $1 million from the NBA vet, prosecutors and police said.

?He has been doing this for years, and he?s never actually spoken to my husband, he?s never even met him, but he?s obsessed with him,? said Jenine Howard in a phone interview after the arrest of Rahmal W. Stinson, 30, of Dorchester. ?He?s showed up at games, and mailed gifts and leaves obscene messages. We?ve gotten additional security and we feel pretty safe. But he makes me nervous.?

Stinson, who was arrested Tuesday, was determined to be psychotic and is locked up in Bridgewater State Hospital, where he is undergoing a 20-day evaluation, according to Suffolk District Attorney Daniel Conley?s office.

Stinson?s 12-year-old child is the daughter of Jenine Howard?s sister and occasionally stays at the Howards? Houston home, according to the family. Stinson frequently calls the home, and on March 20 allegedly threatened to kill the entire household, police said.

?(The) suspect, while having a three way conversation through the sister?s phone with the victim stated ?I will kill everyone,? down to (the Howards? 6-year-old son), ? Boston police Detective James Thompson wrote in his report.

The Trail Blazers hosted a dozen prospects in preparation for next month's NBA Draft.

Portland has the No. 22 and No. 44 picks.

"The draft in general is quite strong, to be honest with you," said Chad Buchanan, Portland's director of college scouting. "I think there are a couple stars at the top and a lot of very good potential starters and rotation guys down to the early second round. It's a deep draft."

The Blazers worked out E'Twaun Moore of Purdue, Lavoy Allen of Temple, Talor Battle of Penn State, Malcolm Delaney of Virginia Tech, Eniel Polynice of Mississippi, Alex Tyus of Florida and Mike Davis of Illinois.

Others were Dominic Waters of Portland State, Devan Downey of South Carolina, NBDL player Jeremy Wise, Donald Sloan of Texas A&M and Connecticut's Gavin Edwards.

Kevin Pritchard is widely viewed as having done an excellent job in Portland.  Nonetheless, the Blazers' GM could be on his way out and one source suggested that New York could be a logical landing spot for Pritchard.  Donnie Walsh is expected to conduct a search for his heir apparent after the summer free-agency period is over.

Mark Warkentien is also in limbo in Denver.  The decision-making process on Warkentien's future was supposed to go into motion shortly after the Nuggets were eliminated.  But there has been no movement to date.  Warkentien's contract expires August 1.

The Hornets have contacted the Jazz to request permission to interview assistant coach Tyrone Corbin and the Trail Blazers to speak with Monty Williams.

Utah is still alive in the postseason, while Portland was eliminated in the first round at the hands of Phoenix.

Portland guard Rudy Fernandez didn't ask general manager Kevin Pritchard for a trade during his exit interview.

However, Fernandez did express his displeasure over his role with the Trail Blazers this season.

The Trail Blazers had their final interview session with the media on Friday and Rudy Fernandez was the only player to express negativity about his future.

When asked if he would return to Portland next season, Fernandez repeatedly said he has a contract with the team.

He added that he would not to return next season, though, and face the same issues he did this year.