This had been rumored for a couple of days. The word has been that Minnesota wants to package the #5 and #6 picks together, and move up to #2 to select Ricky Rubio.
However, Andy Katz now reports:
The Wolves would then keep the draft pick and their own selection at No. 6 and not try to package those to move up, a source told ESPN.com's Andy Katz.
SOURCE
I don't buy it. That's been the discussion for a couple of days, and I would be surprised if it didn't happen.
If it does happen, it would be a huge coup for Memphis if they can pull it off. Several of the players that Memphis is considering at #2 will also be available at #5 and #6 - James Harden, Tyreke Evans, Jordan Hill. I can hardly believe that the #2 pick is worth the #5 and #6, especially in this draft, but that may well be the motivation here.
If Minnesota doesn't move up, it certainly increases the possibility that they would move either the #18 or the #28 pick. It's very hard to imagine that Minnesota would keep four picks in the first round.
By the way, the salaries in the Washington-Minnesota trade are pretty much a push next year, but in 2010-2011 Washington sheds
$7.2M in Songalia and Pecherov's contracts. Not bad.
