National Basketball Association News

Sixers make a pair of draft deals

Jun 29, 2007, 4:25 GMT

New York, NY - The Philadelphia 76ers made a pair of deals on draft night, one with the Miami Heat and another with the Portland Trail Blazers.

Colorado State forward/center Jason Smith was taken 20th by Miami, while Philadelphia took Ohio State guard Daequan Cook at No. 21. However, the two teams exchanged the picks before the first round was over. The Sixers also sent the Heat a 2009 second-round pick and cash.

Smith earned first team All-Mountain West Conference honors his sophomore and junior seasons and averaged 16.8 points last season.

Cook, one of three Ohio State players selected in the draft, was fourth on the Buckeyes in scoring (9.8 ppg) and third in rebounds (4.3 rpg) last season.

The Sixers later chose Finnish guard Petteri Koponen with the 30th and final pick of the first round. Koponen was then dealt to Portland for the rights to No. 42 pick Vanderbilt guard/forward Derrick Byars and cash considerations.

Koponen most recently for Espoon Honka in Finland, averaging better than 12 ppg while shooting 54.2 percent from the field and close to 40 percent behind the three-point line.

Byars was named the SEC Player of the Year by the league's coaches as a senior in 2006-07. He averaged 17 points per game, 4.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists last season.

© 2007 The Sports Network