Kathy Willens / AP

Deron Williams, a point guard from Illinois, talks to the media after he was chosen by the Utah Jazz as the third overall pick of the NBA Draft on Tuesday.

updated 2:15 a.m. ET June 29, 2005

SALT LAKE CITY - The Utah Jazz selected Illinois point guard Deron Williams with the No. 3 pick in the draft, obtained earlier Tuesday in a trade with Portland.

The Jazz also gave Portland a provisional first-round pick in the 2006 draft or later for the chance to take Williams, who led the Fighting Illini to a 37-2 mark this season and the NCAA title game.

“We are ecstatic that we were able to make this move,” Jazz president Dennis Haslam said.

With the sixth pick, Portland chose high school senior Martell Webster of Seattle Prep — making him the first prep player taken in a draft notable for its historical significance. It likely marked the final time high school players would be eligible to jump directly to the pros.

“Our mission was to make optimum use of the third pick overall,” Blazers president Steve Patterson said. “We were able to move down only three spots and gain two additional first-round picks. This trade will allow us to continue doing what we started last year, stockpiling young talent.”

Other draft-day trades included:

• The Suns selected Nate Robinson at No. 21, but sent him and Quentin Richardson to the Knicks as part of a deal for Kurt Thomas and the rights to No. 54 pick Dijon Thompson.
• Cleveland traded Jiri Welsch to the Bucks for a 2006 second-round pick.
• Denver sent No. 22 selection Jarrett Jack to Portland for picks Linas Kleiza (No. 27) and Ricky Sanchez (No. 35).
• Seattle sent Lawrence Roberts (No. 55) to Memphis for a 2006 second-round pick, a 2007 second-round pick and cash.

Utah said it was not trying to stockpile talent with its picks. The Jazz wanted to make sure they could get Williams.

The Jazz have only one point guard under contract and he most likely won’t be for much longer. The team has been negotiating a buyout with Raul Lopez, a first-round pick four years ago who has struggled with knee injuries.

Utah didn’t need at point guard from the late 1980s through the ’90s, with John Stockton running the offense. Stockton retired two years ago as the NBA’s career leader in assists and steals.

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Carlos Arroyo and Lopez shared the job in 2003-04 and helped lead the Jazz to a 42-40 season. But Arroyo and coach Jerry Sloan clashed early last season, and the Jazz sent the guard to the Detroit Pistons for Elden Campbell and the pick that went to Portland on Tuesday.

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