Mavs trade No. 22 for three picks
The Portland Trail Blazers acquired the 22nd pick in Thursday's NBA draft from the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for the 24th and 56th picks in this year's draft, and worst of their second round picks in 2010.
The trade has been agreed to in principle by the two teams. It should be finalized by the league office later today.
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban posted twice on Twitter: "We think we can get our guy at 24" and "You never know when 2nd rd picks can come in handy."
Why would the Blazers move up two spots in the draft? The word around the league was the Kings had zeroed in on Omri Casspi with the 23rd pick. Casspi could be a good pick for the Blazers to either keep or to bring over this year to provide more toughness in the front court.
Another potential target for the Blazers could be Florida's Nick Calathes, Pittsburgh's DeJuan Blair, Georgetown's DeJuan Summers or VCU's Eric Maynor.
For the Mavericks, they pick up a couple of extra picks to move two spots in the draft.
Chad Ford covers the NBA for ESPN.com.
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