Every team trying to move up has John Nash's phone on speed dial, as he and the Blazers hold the third pick and are accepting offers.

"My hat's off to (Trail Blazers general manager) John Nash," Charlotte coach and GM Bernie Bickerstaff, quoted on his team's Web site, said over the weekend. "He (messed) everything up. That guy's really good."

According to the Daily News' Mitch Lawrence, "The Blazers are open to dealing the No. 3 pick, but they've been insisting that backup Ruben Patterson be part of the deal. Few teams want to take on Patterson's baggage."

"We set a price with several teams, and thus far we haven't gotten a meeting of the minds," Nash told The Oregonian. "We have options, but they're not as attractive as the third pick.
     
"Until somebody presents to us an option, or accepts one that we've presented to them, that causes us to believe that it is more impressive than the third pick, we'll just hold on to the third pick."

"If you're going to buy something, and it's on sale," O'Connor said, "you can wait and come back the next day when they have further reductions ? and it might be gone.
     
"So, do you make a deal when you like it? Yeah."
     
Many suspect the Hawks will take Marvin Williams, the North Carolina small forward, at No. 2. But no one knows for certain.

"I would hate to trade the third pick in the draft and then learn that he's going to be available at three," Nash told The Oregonian. "I think before we would conclude that it's in our best interest to trade, we need to get a feel that either we don't want Marvin Williams or he won't be there."