That could portend significant changes as new president of Basketball operations David Kahn tries to remake a roster in which he has no personal investment.

As center Al Jefferson said Wednesday: "There's no doubt in my mind that there will be more changes coming. That's the whole reason he's here. They brought him in because they needed a change. ... I'm just sitting back waiting."

Jefferson didn't have to wait long, with the Boston Globe reporting Thursday that the Wolves were discussing a trade that would send him and the sixth overall selection in next week's NBA draft to the Phoenix Suns for forward Amare Stoudemire.

The Wolves quickly shot down the rumor, and Kahn called Jefferson to assure him the trade wouldn't happen.

Still, like the Kevin Love-to-Memphis rumor earlier this week, the trade speculation served to illustrate the lack of security surrounding practically every player on the roster with McHale out of the picture.

"There's definitely going to be some change," Love said Thursday. "We have three first-round picks, and also we have a lot of cap space and a lot of players we could trade. I wouldn't be surprised if we saw some changes. As far as a lot of changes, that's going to be up to David Kahn. He's in that position, and he's in there for a reason."

Like Jefferson, Love said he doesn't think the Wolves, coming off a 24-58 season, need a major upgrade to make the jump to playoff team.

"I think we're very close," he said. "I think we're probably a player or two players away. After seeing what we did in January, I feel like if we all come back healthy and get a couple new players, I think we'll be right there."

Jefferson is coming off major knee surgery that would seem to make him unlikely trade bait, and he's the one player to whom Kahn has reached out and tried to develop a personal relationship.

It says something, though, when the names of two supposedly cornerstone players such as Jefferson and Love come up in trade talks, real or imagined.

Expect to hear a lot more of the same in the days leading up to Thursday's draft and an eventual trade or two by the Wolves involving bigger names than the usual suspects such as Mike Miller and Brian Cardinal.

With the possible exception of Jefferson, no one is untouchable, not even supposed core players such as Love and guard Randy Foye, who has two years remaining on his contract.

Unlike his players, Kahn has made it quite clear that he believes this team requires more than a tweak.

"I think we need some help," he said Wednesday. "I think I have been very candid about that. We won 24 games last year and I recognize that if Al hadn't got hurt, maybe we would have won a few more. But we need some help."

Kahn added that the Wolves won't be able to do it all right away and have laid out a plan to gradually improve the team over the next 15 months.

With ticket sales lagging, though, and three first-round picks for added trade flexibility, this draft represents a prime opportunity to make a big splash and overhaul the roster, even if the current players don't believe it's necessary.

"For me, I don't know really what's going to happen," Love said. "I hope to be back in Minnesota working with Big Al and the players we have. I think that's up to David Kahn. He's in that position for a reason and he wants to make his mark, so we'll see what happens."