Lottery picks Joakim Noah and Corey Brewer of Florida and Georgetown's Jeff Green agreed to work out in Phoenix in a joint session for the Suns and Boston Tuesday. The three agreed to do so even though the Suns don't have a pick until No. 24 in the first round (and also No. 29) because they were told that there is a strong chance the Suns would trade up to the lottery.
Danny Ainge, the Celtics director of basketball operations, and Celtics coach Doc Rivers were en route to Phoenix Monday for the combined workout Tuesday. But when reached Monday, Ainge said there was no truth to a rumor that the Celtics and Suns were involved in a trade for the Celtics' No. 5 pick. He said they were just trying to combine a workout since Green was committed to work out for Boston for Tuesday and Noah and Brewer to Phoenix. So the Suns and Celtics agreed to one workout in Phoenix. Ainge said he was convinced there would be speculation on his appearance in Phoenix, but he reiterated there was no truth to a trade.
Multiple sources told ESPN.com Monday that representatives for Noah and Brewer, as well as Green, discussed the possibility of Phoenix trading up into the top 10 prior to agreeing for their players to work out in Phoenix. A source close to Noah and Brewer told ESPN.com that neither client would have been allowed by their representative to go to Phoenix had the possibility of a trade not been possible.
As for Noah and Brewer, both have an "affinity" for the Suns, according to a source (and as ESPN NBA Insider Chad Ford has written as well), and both went to a Phoenix playoff game earlier this spring.
The Arizona Republic reported Monday morning that Phoenix was close to making a deal to get in the top 10, according to David Griffin, the team's executive director of basketball operations. If that's the case, then the likely suitors are Atlanta at No. 3, Memphis at No. 4, Minnesota at No. 7 or Charlotte at No. 8. And while there is no guarantee that there is a deal, the Suns have clearly sold that possible trade to the players and their agents. Phoenix called Milwaukee for No. 6, but the offer went nowhere. Chicago isn't involved in the trade either, according to a source close to the Bulls. One possibility could be that the Suns could be trading with Atlanta for its No. 11 pick, not the No. 3, and at least one of the three -- Noah, Brewer and Green -- could be available at No. 11.
Sources told ESPN.com that a proposed but unlikely Phoenix deal would involved Minnesota and Boston in a three-way trade. The sources said the Celtics would pick up Shawn Marion from Phoenix. Phoenix would receive Kevin Garnett from Minnesota. The Timberwolves would receive Theo Ratliff, Boston's No. 5 pick and possibly one of Phoenix's first-round picks as well. A source close to the Celtics said that there was no truth to the deal, since the Celtics aren't going to get involved in a trade with Garnett and/or Marion unless either player signs a contract extension. Also, the amount of money that Marion may request would likely be out of the Celtics' reach, or at least what they would be willing to pay. Ainge said Monday that the Celtics were planning on using their No. 5 pick.
So as of Monday, the Celtics were still planning on keeping the pick and the favorite was Yi Jianlian of China over Noah and Brewer, according to multiple sources. Yi is a favorite of the Celtics brass, more so than the coaching staff, which wouldn't mind getting more of a known commodity like Noah, Brewer or Green.
Quick hitters on the draft:
• LSU junior forward Glen Davis is skyrocketing up the draft and New Jersey is very interested in Davis selecting at No. 17. The Nets, according to sources, are high on Davis, Colorado State's Jason Smith or former Boston College center Sean Williams. Davis has worked out for New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Utah, Miami, Golden State, Washington, Houston and was at Detroit Monday.
• The rumors of a promise to DePaul's Wilson Chandler to New York at No. 23 may be misdirected. According to sources, Chandler's guarantee is actually more likely with one of Phoenix's late first-round picks at No. 24 or 29.
• A number of teams told ESPN.com that they believed USC's Gabe Pruitt has a bottom-guarantee from Miami at No. 20.
• After talking to a number of teams Monday, the consensus was that the biggest slider in the first round could be Kansas' Julian Wright, who could fall to Washington at No. 16.
• A number of teams say they believe New Orleans at No. 13 will take either USC's Nick Young or Georgia Tech's Thaddeus Young. The latter Young has strong connections to the city, as detailed Sunday in the Times-Picayune.
• If Detroit's top choices of Al Thornton of Florida State, Eastern Washington's Rodney Stuckey and USC's Young are gone at No. 15, then the Pistons would take Georgia Tech's Young, according to a source close to the situation.
• Al Horford was scheduled to work out for Atlanta Monday, and the consensus in the league is that the Hawks will select him if they don't deal the pick.
Andy Katz
