Blazers select Memphis swingman Elliot Williams with 22nd pick while GM rumors swirl

Blazers take Williams of Memphis with 22nd pick

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland Trail Blazers selected Memphis swingman Elliot Williams with the 22nd pick in the draft.

Williams averaged 17.9 points, four rebounds and 3.8 assists with the Tigers last season as a sophomore after transferring from Duke.

The Blazers also traded forward Martell Webster to Minnesota in exchange for forward Ryan Gomes and 16th overall pick Luke Babbitt of Nevada, according to a person with knowledge of the trade who told The Associated Press the deal was in place Thursday night.

Babbitt, a 6-foot-7, 215-pound forward, averaged 21.9 points and 8.9 rebounds for the Wolf Pack before deciding to leave school after his sophomore year.

Gomes spent the past three seasons in Minnesota after coming over from Boston in the Kevin Garnett trade. He averaged 10.9 points and 4.6 rebounds last season.

The moves come amid a report that the Blazers had fired general manager Kevin Pritchard less than an hour before the start of the draft Thursday night.

The Blazers also had the 34th pick.

After transferring from Duke, Memphis native Williams was able to play for the Tigers last season because he was granted a hardship transfer to care for his ill mother.

The past two Tigers drafted in the first round went on to become NBA rookies of the year — Tyreke Evans last season and Derrick Rose the season before that.