NEW YORK – The New Jersey Nets and Indiana Pacers are discussing a blockbuster draft trade that would send All-Star forward Danny Granger and the 10th pick to the Nets for Devin Harris, Yi Jianlian and the third overall pick, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.
The Pacers plan would be to move up and take Georgia Tech forward Derrick Favors with the third overall pick and plug their need for a young point guard with Harris.
No deal was imminent, and one source said the Nets’ interest in the Pacers’ offer was “lukewarm.” There could be other pieces added to the package to the make the salaries match up under league rules.
Sources say New Jersey has received a steady stream of strong offers for the third pick from teams hoping to secure Favors.
New Jersey Nets general manager Rod Thorn remains uncertain whether he wants to hold onto the third pick to draft Favors himself.
“Rod doesn’t love that spot right now,” a source with knowledge of the Nets’ thinking said. “He’s willing to get out of there and go down.”
The Detroit Pistons would love to get to No. 3 and draft Kentucky center DeMarcus Cousins, sources said, but the two teams haven’t been able to get anywhere on a possible package. The Pistons engaged Sacramento on the fifth spot, but Kings GM Geoff Petrie wants to take Cousins and keep him.
Detroit is no longer making calls to move up and is planning to use its pick at No. 7, league sources said. Georgetown’s Greg Monroe tops Ed Davis on the Pistons’ board.
Thorn plans to draft Favors, the Georgia Tech freshman, should he keep the pick. Nevertheless, Favors is still seen as a young prospect who will likely have to wait two years to develop into a productive player. For the right package, sources said Thorn would be willing to drop down and take Monroe or Baylor’s Ekpe Udoh.
– Adrian Wojnarowski, 5:38 p.m. ET, June 24
