I have been glued to the internet and television today trying to glean all the last-minute rumors concerning the 2012 NBA Draft. A lot of trade rumors are swirling about contenders trying to jump into the Lottery by trading either an expiring contract or an expendable player.
I’m sure a lot of the rumors going around are teams just trying to throw teams off their scent, but some are real. For example, I do believe the Memphis Grizzlies are trying to trade Zach Randolph for Pau Gasol or basically anything they can get for him. He has a lot of money coming to him and his knee doesn’t look good. The Los Angeles Lakers immediately shot down the proposal, but are rumored to be shopping Gasol.
Here are the latest NBA rumors floating around about tonight’s NBA Draft…
– The Golden State Warriors are interested in San Antonio Spurs forward DeJuan Blair. The Spurs need to open up a roster spot for Erazem Lorbek. The Warriors have four draft picks and the Spurs would probably use the picks received to select a “draft and stash” player.
– The Minnesota Timberwolves are offering last year’s #2 overall pick Derrick Williams for a lottery pick (reported by Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com).
– Kansas Jayhawks point guard Tyshawn Taylor could be selected #29 by the Chicago Bulls. Vin Parise of NBC Sports Network reported the Bulls intentions earlier today.
– The Cleveland Cavaliers could pick Turkish forward Furkan Aldemir with one of their early second-round picks. They own the #33 & #34 picks and will most likely use one of them on a “draft and stash” player.
– Oregon State guard Jared Cunningham could end up sneaking into the first-round tonight. He is an excellent defender and a team like the Miami Heat could use him.
– Kostas Papanikolaou’s stock is rising and could find himself selected late in the first-round. He wouldn’t be able to play until the 2013-14 season, since he wouldn’t have a reasonable buyout until then. He is currently playing in Greece with Olympiakos.
– North Carolina center Tyler Zeller is #1 on the Milwaukee Bucks ‘want list’ tonight. They own the #14 pick and Zeller is expected to be drafted before #14. The other players on their ‘want list’ include UConn’s Jeremy Lamb, Washington’s Terrence Ross, Kentucky’s Terrence Jones, and Meyers Leonard of Illinois.
– North Carolina forward John Henson is rumored to be going #9 to the Detroit Pistons. They would draft UConn’s Andre Drummond ahead of Henson, but he is not expected to fall that far in the draft.
– If the Cavaliers are unable to trade the Charlotte Bobcats for the #2 overall pick to select Florida’s Bradley Beal, they are expected to draft Kentucky’s Michael Kidd-Gilchrist or Syracuse’s Dion Waiters.
– If Weber State’s Damian Lillard is there at #6, the Portland Trailblazers may opt to pass over him and select a less risky player. He played at a small school and doesn’t project to be a point guard in the NBA.
– If Thomas Robinson of Kansas is available at #5, the Sacramento Kings are set to take him. They are rumored to like him over UConn’s Andre Drummond.
– The Houston Rockets are still trying to trade the Kings for the #5 pick and possibly Tyreke Evans, but there is no word if this is anything more than a rumor.
– The Cleveland Cavaliers are dangling Anderson Varejao out there to see if anyone offers something substantial.
– The Oklahoma City Thunder are NOT moving James Harden for the #2 overall pick. They do like Bradley Beal, but not that much.
