It appears highly doubtful the Thunder will swap first-round picks with Detroit and move up to No. 15.
There were reports the Pistons, trying to clear cap space, might give up their first-round pick if a team would take Amir Johnson's expiring contract in a trade. But a source told ESPN that Detroit plans to keep the pick and still be aggressive in free agency. And the Pistons sent Johnson to Milwaukee for Fabricio Oberto.
Oklahoma City could still be involved in other trade talks, but those opportunities could be dwindling with news Minnesota might end up with the No. 2 pick. When the Thunder is on the clock, general manager Sam Presti might have to decide whether he wants to select Hasheem Thabeet at No. 3 or take James Harden or Stephen Curry.
Timberwolves accumulating picks
Minnesota figured to be the most active team, and has agreed in principle to take Etan Thomas' ($7.35 million) expiring contract and Darius Songaila and Oleksiy Pecherov to get Washington's No. 5 pick.
The Wizards would get Mike Miller and Randy Foye.
If the deal goes through as expected, the Timberwolves would have six picks - two lottery picks (No. 5 and 6), four first-round picks (No. 18 and 28) and two second-round picks (45 and 47).
Armed with that many picks, Minnesota is expected to make a strong play for the No. 2 pick by giving Memphis the No. 5 and No. 6 picks.
The big question is who do the Timberwolves want - Ricky Rubio or Hasheem Thabeet?
The latest rumor is it's Rubio.
Draft rumors
→The Knicks reportedly have Stephen Curry, Tyreke Evans, Jordan Hill and Rubio ranked high but might have to settle for either Jrue Holiday or Brandon Jennings at No. 8.
→Houston, hoping to acquire a lottery pick, is dangling Carl Landry. It's doubtful Landry is enough to entice a team to give up its pick. Most years it would be scoffed at, but in this year's draft there's an outside chance a team might bite.
→Before trade talks with Minnesota, the Wizards were talking about trading their No. 5 pick to Boston (Ray Allen), Houston (Tracy McGrady or Landry) and the Knicks, Mavericks, Suns and Portland.
→Washington told teams pursuing the No. 5 pick the plan was to keep Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison and Gilbert Arenas and they were more interest in shedding Thomas' contract and clear cap space.
→Celtics' GM Danny Ainge has refuted Rajon Rondo trade rumors, but Rondo's name keeps popping up. Ainge, though, never has dismissed Allen trade rumors. Allen has one year left on his contract at a hefty $19.76 million.
