28 hours and counting

Posted on June 25th, 2008 – 2:06 PM
By Jerry Zgoda

Musings with Thursday night’s draft fast approaching:

* There’s too much smoke there with Miami having no intention of keeping Michael Beasley, but if the Heat really want O.J. Mayo then they better stand up with their conviction and just take him No. 2 or get what they can (their future No. 1 back or, according to ESPN.com, Corey Brewer) from the Wolves for a swap because he won’t be there at No. 4 or lower. Unless, that is, they really think Jerryd Bayless is comparable. There’s no guarantee Mayo or Bayless are left after the Sonics are done picking fourth.

*Wouldn’t surprise me at all if there’s a three-way deal done with the Heat, Wolves and Grizzlies that makes everybody happy (Heat get Mayo, Grizzlies Beasley, the Wolves the fifth pick they can use for Love or Gallinari or Lopez and something good such as the rights to European center Marc Gasol, a Kyle Lowry or Mike Miller or that other first rounder (28th overall) Memphis has.

*For some reason, my gut still tells me Mayo is the third pick and Love wears a Wolves cap before the night is through.

*Just an impression from hanging around Beasley for a couple hours at the Orlando pre-draft camp: His demeanor away from court drills reminded me of a college kid showing up for his first job interview wearing a t-shirt and cutoffs. Mayo, on the other hand, was very direct: Looked you straight in the eye, yes sir, no sir. Ultimately, of course, it comes down to can they play?

* If the Wolves trade down, it better be because they make their team better with the extra pieces they acquire and not just because their “consensus” management method means they can’t agree on who’s the third best player in the draft and deal down just to solve the deadlock.

* Adam Morrison and No. 9 for the No. 3? Are you kidding me? A hurt guy who doesn’t look like he can play even when he’s healthy? Even the Wolves aren’t that stupid, are they? (Don’t answer that).

* The Wolves’ pick tomorrow night will sport a cap bearing the team’s new “secondary” logo, a howling Wolf that is slightly evocative of the team’s original logo 20 years ago. The new logo will be unveiled tomorrow, with new uniforms, the first since 1996, set to be introduced in August.

*FYI: Craig Smith is back in town this week with his teammates working out for next season. Smith, Ryan Gomes, Chris Richard, Sebastian Telfair and Kirk Snyder all become restricted free agents Tuesday, the first day the Wolves can talk contracts with their agents. Only Snyder hasn’t been into Target Center working out.

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