If you’re Minny, wouldn’t you do your due diligence? Wouldn’t you want to hold your cards close to your chest in case someone wanted to come in and offer you something for the pick? Even if they know for a fact that they won’t be drafting Cousins, why let everyone else know that?

What if in reality they have their mind made up about Cousins and aren’t working him out so Sacramento with think he’ll drop to 5? Thus, from Sac’s p.o.v. no need to trade up if Cousins is their number 2 guy and Favors seems too expensive to make a play for.

This news may not settle it for us in regards to Cousins.

and we’ll still be able to pick between Wes or DMC.

Stern: With the fourth pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves select… Wesley Johnson of Syracuse University!

Us: Woohoo!!!

Stern: With the fifth pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, the Sacramento Kings select… Softy McShootswell of Northern Nowhere University!

Khan’s extensive mock draft analysis will allow him to pass on Cousins. That said even though Petrie is notorious for suprise draft picks I don’t think he passes on Cousins unless something at the workout went terribly wrong. He is just too good.

And the consensus there seems to be they draft Cousins to trade down for Johnson, although that is all speculation. But, not like any of our postulating is anymore factual.

Kahn is scared of DMC. It is all about job security. And the safe pick. He is fearful to mess up another draft or he gets fired.

I made this comment a few weeks ago:

The more Wes Johnson impresses, the more likely he goes ahead of DMC. If I am David Kahn, and have already taken heat for last years draft, I know I cannot afford to efff up a second draft in a row, or my days are numbered. He is already being second-guessed for drafting two PGs ahead of Jennings and Curry, one underachieved (Flynn), and one who doesn’t want to play in Minnesota (Rubio).

Minnesota can go one of two ways if they do not trade up, and pick Evan Turner. The safe pick is Wes Johnson. Kahn will likely get immediate payoff on the court, and buys his rebuild, which he naively terms a 3 year plan to contender status, more time. Do not underestimate self-preservation and the desire to retain his job.

The risky pick is DMC, which has a higher potential reward, but could backfire and blow up in Kahn’s face. If he picks Wes Johnson, he will be easy to sell to the fan base, and he collects a paycheck for another day. If he picks DMC, he will have to sweat it out, and likely balance his roster with a trade of Love or AJ.

If I had to guess, I would say Kahn swaps picks with 76ers or Nets, sacrifices the #16 or #25 pick to do so (no way they take Brand), and picks Evan Turner. If a deal cannot be had, he will play it safe and take Wes Johnson.

Barring trades, I think there is 50-50 chance or better that DMC goes #2 to Philly. If I am the 76ers, I would take Cousins over Favors. But I think either choice is a good one. I think they will pass on Evan Turner.

Top 5 Best Guess:
(1) Wizards – Wall
(2) 76ers – DMC
(3) Nets – Turner
(4) Minny – Johnson
(5) Kings – Favors

Also, Kahn is not capable of smoke screening. He is not that smart.

…with that said, even I wouldn’t pass on Cousins in favor of Monroe. Although, I don’t think it’s out of the realm of possibilities for Petrie. But at the end of the day, I fully expect Geoff to pick DMC at #5.

John Grieg, the agent for Cousins, won’t send his client to workout for the Minnesota Timberwolves, sources say, because he believes the Wolves have decided to draft Syracuse small forward Wesley Johnson.

And on yesterday’s workout:

Cousins had an excellent workout with the Sacramento Kings, grading out as the best shooter to visit Sacramento in the predraft process. He hit 78 percent of his shots in the workout, including a lot of pick-and-pop attempts.

Favors graded out as the far better athlete, but the Kings, who have the No. 5 pick in the draft, believed Cousins was a more advanced player. He showed Sacramento officials more range than they thought he had, consistently hitting the 17-foot jumper. The Kings are considering several players, but Cousins could be difficult to pass over.

Remember when the Clippers had selected Blake Griffin even before the lottery and didn’t work out anyone else?

Not saying he won’t become a great player, but that’s no way to maximize the value of your draft pick.

With Jefferson and Love already in the fold. That’s not their problem. Johnson would be a nice fit.

Re: Petrie, he needs a beast down low, not another power forward who can hit 17-foot jumpers. I think his draft board looks like this:

1. Favors
2. Johnson
3. Xavier Henry

He may be able to trade down to get Henry while netting another late lottery pick.