Updated.
Via MinnPost, Steve Aschburner will be on KFAN with Dan Barreiro at 5:20pm today to talk Wolves and the draft.
From Chad Ford/ESPN:
The Grizzlies aren’t the only team talking of trading down. The Minnesota Timberwolves and the Seattle SuperSonics also have had talks with teams about the No. 3 and No. 4 picks. The Wolves are likely to select O.J. Mayo with the No. 3 pick, according to sources. However, with a number of teams coveting Mayo, they might move the pick if they can find the right deal — especially one that could bring them back Love.
From an ESPN chat with Chad Ford:
On whether the Heat have any suitable offers for its pick:
Chad Ford: (1:09 PM ET ) So far … that’s how
it looks. They don’t have a trade yet. I think they’d be happy with a
deal that nets them either O.J. Mayo or Jerryd Bayless and gives them
some cap relief by taking Mark Blount off their hands. Seattle could
reciprocate (they could send Chris Wilcox). So could Minnesota (they
could send back Antoine Walker’s expiring deal). If I were Minnesota or
Seattle, I’d do that deal in a heartbeat. But as of right now …
sounds like the Heat and Wolves and Sonics are all playing chicken.
it looks. They don’t have a trade yet. I think they’d be happy with a
deal that nets them either O.J. Mayo or Jerryd Bayless and gives them
some cap relief by taking Mark Blount off their hands. Seattle could
reciprocate (they could send Chris Wilcox). So could Minnesota (they
could send back Antoine Walker’s expiring deal). If I were Minnesota or
Seattle, I’d do that deal in a heartbeat. But as of right now …
sounds like the Heat and Wolves and Sonics are all playing chicken.
On the latest trade talk involving the Wolves:
Chad Ford: (1:14 PM ET ) That’s what the Wolves
are saying. They’re taking Mayo. I’m not sure whether that’s true or
whether it’s a negotiating ploy. I know the are enamored with Kevin
Love. If they take Mayo, they could try to pick up an asset and select
him later … though with all the trade talk swirling it sounds like
Love not be on the board after No. 5.
are saying. They’re taking Mayo. I’m not sure whether that’s true or
whether it’s a negotiating ploy. I know the are enamored with Kevin
Love. If they take Mayo, they could try to pick up an asset and select
him later … though with all the trade talk swirling it sounds like
Love not be on the board after No. 5.
According to a league source, Kings shooting guard Kevin Martin has
been asked to play on USA Basketball’s select team. The team is seen by
some as the next crop of up-and-comers on the national team scene, its
immediate charge to scrimmage and practice against the national team in
Las Vegas from July 21-24 as they prepare for the Olympics in Bejing
this summer. Impress at that stage, however, and a player could be
strongly considered for the 2010 World Championships in Turkey and the
2012 Olympics in London. Boston center Kendrick Perkins, Celtics point
guard Rajon Rondo and Minnesota forward Al Jefferson have also been
asked to take part on the select team.
been asked to play on USA Basketball’s select team. The team is seen by
some as the next crop of up-and-comers on the national team scene, its
immediate charge to scrimmage and practice against the national team in
Las Vegas from July 21-24 as they prepare for the Olympics in Bejing
this summer. Impress at that stage, however, and a player could be
strongly considered for the 2010 World Championships in Turkey and the
2012 Olympics in London. Boston center Kendrick Perkins, Celtics point
guard Rajon Rondo and Minnesota forward Al Jefferson have also been
asked to take part on the select team.
From Ben Fawkes/ESPN The Magazine – An Open Letter to Kevin McHale
From Marty Burns/SI.com:
McHale is still trying to win back Minnesota fans after trading Kevin Garnett last summer and dealing the rights to Brandon Roy (for Randy Foye) on the night of the 2006 draft. Wallace has been pilloried in Memphis for the Pau Gasol trade. Walsh just arrived in New York amid great fanfare to clean up the mess left over by the Isiah Thomas regime, so Knicks fans are going to want to see signs of progress.
The interesting thing will be to see how those particular situations might come into play Thursday night. For example, will McHale be more likely to go with the safer and more popular pick of Mayo at No. 3, instead of taking a bigger risk on Brook Lopez or Love?