The draft is right around the corner and Chad Ford and Marc Stein of ESPN.com have the latest rumblings as we approach Thursday..
- The Cavaliers reached out to the Trail Blazers in an attempt to land LaMarcus Aldridge for the Nos. 1 and 19 picks but the Blazers quickly rebuffed them, sources say. Late Monday night, we heard that the Blazers, Thunder, and T-Wolves have been the most proactive in trying to deal for the No. 1 pick.
- The Kings want a second first-round pick and are using Jimmer Fredette as bait. Sources say Sacramento has reached out to several teams in the mid-to-late first round in an attempt to secure another pick and the Pacers and Jazz are potential destinations for the guard. Kings coach Mike Malone is high on Tim Hardaway Jr. and Tony Snell, but the Kings feel that they can get them much lower in the draft.
- In addition to the Pacers' Fredette discussions, sources say Indiana has made the No. 23 pick available in hopes that they can unload Gerald Green's contract.
- The Nets are shopping MarShon Brooks and sources say they want a first-round pick in return. If the T-Wolves give up the No. 26 pick, they'll probably have a deal on draft night. Yesterday it was reported that the two sides have discussed Brooks.
- The Wolves want to move higher up in the draft to select Victor Oladipo. They're offering Derrick Williams, the No. 9 and the No. 26 pick to move up, but so far haven't found a taker.
- The Rockets badly want to move Aaron Brooks or Carlos Delfino in conjunction with the draft before they have to just let them go in order to create as much cap space as possible for Dwight Howard.