The Bee's Jason Jones talked to Geoff Petrie about the Sacramento Kings' status approaching Thursday's 2012 NBA Draft. Two tweets out of that conversation are enlightening.

6-7 teams have had talks with Kings about the 5th pick that go beyond usual "would you move pick?" talk, per Geoff Petrie. Petrie believes the Kings will have good options at 5 if no deal is made.

So, something like substantive talks with 6-7 teams. Perhaps thanks to the team's lack of success in getting an audience with the top guys, it almost reads like the default result is a trade. Of course, we're reading naked tea leaves in the smokiest season. But there's just something about the way all of this is being discussed that makes a trade seem inevitable.

At least the Tyreke Evans tea leaves are reading differently now that everyone is assured that he and the franchise are BFFs again.

It's almost over!

UPDATE: Or not! I had a feeling Jones would be writing up his Petrie conversation for the paper, and sure enough, he did. And sure enough, the trade angle looks far less inevitable.