Wednesday Insider - Z Randolph for 12th pick?

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Trader Bob is at it again.

After failing to make a draft day trade to land JUCO star Kedrick Brown last season, Blazers GM Bob Whitsitt has been working the phones the last few weeks in an effort to land a young star in the draft.

Several league sources told Insider late Tuesday that the Blazers and Clippers are working on a deal that would send the No. 12 pick in the draft to Portland for Zach Randolph and $3 million. The Blazers will use the pick to draft high school phenom Amare Stoudemire, if he's still on the board. If he's gone at No. 12, they feel that another big man, either Nene Hilario or Curtis Borchardt, will still be available. The Clippers plan to use the money to help defray the cost of bringing in their 2000 second-round pick, Marko Jaric. Jaric is reportedly seeking a contract starting at between $3 and $4 million a season.

The trade could be one of several the Blazers will make this summer. In fact, it may not be the only one they make in the draft. Another league source told Insider that the Blazers are also angling for a top-5 pick in an effort to get a shot at drafting Nikoloz Tskitishivili. That would cost them much more than Randolph and some cash.

The team is also actively searching for a center to fill the hole left by Arvydas Sabonis last year. It's targeted several players, including the Sixers' Dikembe Mutombo, the Heat's Alonzo Mourning and several lesser known free agents like the T-Wolves' Radoslav Nesterovic and the Sonics' Jerome James. Heat president and coach Pat Riley told the Miami Herald Tuesday that no trade offers have been made for Mourning ''We're not moving Zo in the next year,'' Riley said.

The Blazers are shopping Dale Davis, who has just one year left on his contract. They're also seeking out sign-and-trade opportunities for restricted free agent Bonzi Wells. Although the team does plan on tendering him a one-year offer, the Blazers would prefer to move him if they can get value in return. Scottie Pippen and Shawn Kemp are also available, but given their huge salaries, moving them is extremely difficult.

The team is also trying to figure out its point guard woes. Damon Stoudamire is available, but given the three years and $44 million left on his contract, don't expect a lot of takers. Expect the team to make a run at Clippers free agent Jeff McInnis this summer. Because the Blazers are over the cap, the most they can offer him is the $4.5 million exception.

The Clippers, on the other hand, are one of the few teams in the NBA with significant cap room. Still, with 11 players under contract next season, and with the imminent arrival of Jaric, the team has been trying to move its two lottery picks for the last month. This may be the Clippers' last year of cap flexibility.

This summer they'll have to figure out what they are going to do with Michael Olowokandi, who is a restricted free agent. The team plans to tender him a one-year offer. If negotiations don't go well (Olowokandi is asking for a max deal), he could accept the one-year deal and become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

The Clippers also have to decide whether to offer extensions to Elton Brand, Lamar Odom and Corey Maggette.

Draft Rumors: Dunleavy to the Warriors

Mike Dunleavy is in the NBA draft for good. The next question is this: Is he into the Warriors?

Dunleavy's decision seems to be some sort of watershed moment in Golden State. Forget for a second whether Dunleavy is really worth all of this fuss. If the Warriors are really that interested, you know the answer to that.

For months the speculation persisted that Dunleavy wasn't really deciding whether he wanted to play in the NBA or stay in college. Instead, he was deciding whether he wanted to be a Warrior. So now that he's decided to stay in the draft, the San Francisco Chronicle's David Steele seems to think that everything is OK with the Warriors. Forget about the money, the risk of injury or a terrible senior season. The Warriors pushed Dunleavy to the NBA.

Who knows what GM Garry St. Jean or Antawn Jamison said to Dunleavy last Thursday. I wasn't there, but my guess is it went something like this.

St. Jean: "Mike, the odds are we can't keep screwing up forever. Clifford Rozier, Joe Smith, Todd Fuller, Adonal Foyle, Antawn (oops sorry Antawn) . . . "

Jamison: "That's all right Garry, you're outta here anyway. What position do you play, Mike?"

St. Jean: "I think if you look at our track record you'll rest easier. If you're any good, we'll trade you away to a contender. If you struggle, we'll throw the max at you."

Jamison: "Point guard? Center? Shooting guard?"

St. Jean: "If we hired your dad as coach . . .you would never, um, how do I put this, try to wrap your hands around his neck?"

Jamison: "I heard you can pass. You're going to throw me the ball, right?"

St. Jean: "You like Chris Mullin? How do you feel about flat tops?"

Jamison: "Just pass me the ball and stay away from the small power forward position and we're cool, all right?"

St. Jean: "So what do you say Mike?"

Dunleavy's staying in the draft, but Warriors fans may not want to pat themselves on the back just yet.

Several lottery general managers were breathing a quiet sigh of relief late Tuesday as news began to trickle in that two potential lottery picks, Dunleavy and Curtis Borchardt, intended to stay in the draft.

"That's great news for us," one GM told Insider. "It basically guarantees that one of the several guys were targeting will now fall to us."

From a less selfish perspective, several GM's told Insider that Dunleavy, Borchardt and even Casey Jacobsen had nothing left to prove in college. The chance of an injury or a senior slump are more likely than them doing something extraordinary that would increase their stock.

"The expectations on Dunleavy would have been enormous. He really had no where to go but down," another GM told Insider. "Borchardt may have been able to push his stock up a little if he stayed healthy all year. But it's a big risk. . . Casey has worked out so well, this is his best shot of sneaking into the first round."

With the top American players intending to stay, now the focus will be on several international underclassmen who have the option to withdraw. Nikoloz Tskitishvili, Mladen Sekularac, Boris Diaw, Zaur Pachulia and Nenad Kristic all have big decisions to make. Their agents are seeking guarantees from teams that they'll be drafted in the first round. If they don't get what they're looking for, it's likely that they'll withdraw.

Tskitishivili's agent, Marc Fleisher told Insider this morning that Skita will definitely be in the draft. He said he was "99.9 percent" sure that Kristic, whom he also represents, would also keep his name in the draft. As for Pachulia, Fleisher said he would wait until after Pachulia's workout today in San Antonio.

While the feedback has been positive on Pachulia, Fleisher, who also represents Tony Parker, thinks he might be doing Pachulia a disservice by leaving him in.

"He's done so well in workouts," Fleisher said. "Every single team has been surprised by the kid's skill level. I wonder he wouldn't be better off waiting a year. If we did, I think he'd be a lottery pick. He's just 18 years old. He's got plenty of time."

Players have until 5 p.m. EST to inform the NBA of their intention to withdraw. If the NBA hears nothing, they can be drafted.

Check back on Insider later in the day for an update on the international underclassmen.

Dunleavy to stay in draft, may be Warriors-bound

Brad Weinstein / San Francisco Chronicle

Draft hinges on Dunleavy

John Denton / Florida Today

Dunleavy likely to depart Duke

Larry Keech / Greensboro News & Record

So, Mike, this is goodbye?

Neil Amato / Durham Herald-Sun

Williams intent upon pro career

Jerry Wizig / Houston Chronicle

More Draft Rumors: Heat after another first-rounder?

Now that owner Mickey Arison has given Pat Riley the OK to exceed the luxury tax threshold this season, Riley is going hog wild.

The Heat, who hold the 10th pick in the draft, are actively trying to acquire a second first-round pick at the end of the first round. "There are a lot of players at the end of the first round we like," Riley told the Sun Sentinel.

Riley said the wealth of athletic big men in the draft may push the Heat toward drafting a center or power forward at No. 10.

"There are a number of big players we like," Riley told the Miami Herald. "The perimeter players and point guards [who could be available at No. 10] have been a little questionable."

Listening to Riley, it seems like he's leaning toward Indiana's Jared Jeffries, Curtis Borchardt or Nene Hilario. "I think as a big man, he's exceptional," Riley said of Jeffries, who also will work out for the Heat Friday. "Hilario has the kind of gifts you don't see come around very much. Borchardt is very impressive. He reminds me of [indiana's] Brad Miller. He can shoot from outside. He comes from a great system, which is high on our list. He's ready to play."

If the Heat go that direction, they'll be able to address their small forward needs via free agency. Donyell Marshall, Rodney Rogers, Bryon Russell, Devean George and Tyrone Nesby are all unrestricted free agents this summer.

"We're as active as we've ever been in a lot of different scenarios," Riley told the Sun Sentinel. "While we're planning for the draft, we're speculating on free agents and trade scenarios. We've got as much going as we ever have."

Drew Gooden says he has a pretty good idea where he'll be going in the draft.

"I've narrowed it down to three teams: Golden State, Memphis or Denver," Gooden told the K.C. Star. "Those are the three places I might be living. If I had a choice I'd probably like to stay at home [in Golden State]. But you don't have a choice in this situation."

KU coach Roy Williams agrees. "Unless people are really not telling me the truth, I think he's a top-4 pick at worst. There could be some crazy trades and some crazy maneuverings between now and the draft. But I can't imagine any scenario out of the top 4."

It looks like Milwaukee is now leaning toward keeping its first-round pick, a Bucks source told Insider. The team has a pretty infamous history of moving out of the first round and opting instead for veterans.

However, with Dunleavy and Borchardt staying in the draft, there's a good likelihood that a top player -- either Jeffries, Borchardt, Qyntel Woods or Dajuan Wagner falls to them at No. 13.

Easing off luxury tax could give Heat edge

Ira Winderman / South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Despite team's needs, Riley to stay flexible on draft day

Barry Jackson / Miami Herald

KU's Gooden counting down days until NBA draft

Jason King / Kansas City Star

Workout Watch

There were a couple of interesting workouts Tuesday. Jared Jeffries got a return invite to Phoenix and put on a strong performance.

"I think people will always harp on his weight and stuff. I know a lot of guys who, when they first came out, people said, 'Hey, he's going to get beat up.' Guys like Danny Manning," assitant coach Marc Iavaroni told Suns.com. "But they know how to play the game and as long as they're not passive… I mean, this kid is going to fight you and I sense a wiry, raw-boned strength to his game. So as he matures in the natural process and he gets into a weight program, I think time will take care of that."

Caron Butler, Qyntel Woods and Dan Dickau were working out for Golden State and Kareem Rush was in New Orleans auditioning for the Hornets.

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