Then there were four.
Four? Amid the “it’s not happening” rumors concerning a trade for Hornets guard Chris Paul, the Nets now are looking at four guys for the No. 3 pick in tomorrow’s NBA Draft.
What the Nets may do down the road could have a big impact on whom they pick tomorrow night.
“Nothing has been decided,” Nets president Rod Thorn said. “We’re talking to different people. We’ve got a lot of things going on, trying to decide what we might do in free agency.”
The decision the Nets must make is immediate help, such as Syracuse small forward Wesley Johnson, or help down the road — namely, Georgia Tech power forward Derrick Favors.
So, the four are Favors — who remains the leading choice; Kentucky center DeMarcus Cousins; Johnson; and the real darkhorse, Georgetown power forward Greg Monroe.
Favors, 18, projects to be a rebounding, defending stud down the road. The Nets just don’t know how long they can wait.
Cousins, despite wowing the Nets (and all teams he auditioned for) in workouts, also is young, 19. And he is seen as a center. The Nets want a power forward. Those red flags on personality and maturity?
“I kind of like him,” Thorn said. “He is refreshing, honest, to the point.”
But what if, like Derrick Coleman before him, he handed the coach a blank check in training camp to cover all subsequent fines?
“I would not find that refreshing,” Thorn deadpanned.
Johnson, the Syracuse shooter deluxe, has the benefit of being 22 (23 in three weeks) and more mature. He is another who projects as a prototype NBA stud for his position, small forward.
“He’s a guy we’re looking at very seriously,” Thorn said.
Then there is Monroe, the best passing big man in the draft. Thorn likes him, but he seems to be a long shot for the Nets, also armed with picks at 27 (Dallas’ first rounder) and 31.
All of the above are contingent on Evan Turner not falling past Philadelphia at No. 2. The Nets would pounce on Turner if he’s available at No. 3.
Thorn reiterated the belief he has held since, oh, forever, that the first two picks will be Kentucky’s John Wall and Ohio State’s Turner.
Which brings us to the third pick, four candidates — five if you want to include Turner — and the trade rumor.
Sources on both sides of the rumor presented the same scenario. A third party, William Wesley (World Wide Wes), who is the power broker associate of LeBron James, served as an intermediary at least a month ago. His contention was the team that had Paul also had a good chance of landing James as a free agent.
The Nets did not call the Hornets. The Nets did not make an offer to the Hornets. And even if they did, it would be moot, although they would surrender the third pick as part of a package for Paul in a heartbeat.
“The Hornets are not trading Chris Paul,” a source in New Orleans stressed.
Unless they want to sink the franchise. Oilman Gary Chouest is waiting to close on his deal for the team with owner George Shinn. No way he wants to lose by far the team’s biggest draw.