The Portland Trail Blazers dippped into their collection of draft picks to improve their top overall slot in the NBA draft, getting No. 22 from the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday in exchange for No. 24 and two second-rounders.
The Trail Blazers still have the 33rd, 38th and 55 picks in Thursday's draft.
Dallas, which didn't have a second-rounder this year, got the fourth of Portland's four second-rounders -- No. 56 overall, which is the fifth-to-last choice. The Mavericks also will get the worse of Portland's two second-rounders in 2010, its own or Chicago's.
Mavs owner explained the move in a post to his Twitter feed: "You never know when 2nd rd picks can come in handy."
Dallas was willing to move down because it figures one of the players it is eyeing will still be available just two spots later.
"After 10 to 12, it's such an eye-of-the-beholder deal," team president Donnie Nelson said recently. "There are going to be guys that someone likes at 25 and someone else likes him at 13."
