With NBA Draft Day upon us, follow TSN's Rumour Mill blog for all the latest trade buzz and which teams may be trading up, down or making a blockbuster move. Catch the NBA Draft from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn tonight on TSN2 and TSN GO at 7PM ET.


Spurs, Blazers making 'serious push' for George

Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders reports that league sources peg the Portland Trail Blazers and San Antonio Spurs as the new frontrunners to land Indiana Pacers' star Paul George. The Spurs are said to have a real shot. The same source said that George would have serious interest in going to the Spurs, but wouldn't commit to staying beyond the 2017-18 season. George has made it clear that he intends to play for the Los Angeles Lakers when his contract is up at the end of the upcoming season.


Raptors gauging market for first round pick

Michael Scotto, senior NBA writer for Basketball Insiders says the Raptors are gauging the interest in the 23rd overall pick in tonight's draft and are open to moving down.

T-wolves shopping Rubio?

According to The Verical's Adrian Wojnarowski, sources say the Minnesota Timberwolves are actively dangling point guard Ricky Rubio's name in trade talks.

Timberwolves making a push for Butler?

ESPN's Ian Begley reports that opposing executives believe the Timberwolves are considering using their seventh overall pick as part of a package to try and acquire Chicago Bulls' star forward Jimmy Butler. The Vertical reported earlier this week that Minnesota had preliminary talks with the Bulls regarding Butler. The Cleveland Cavaliers also unsuccessfully engaged in trade talks earlier in the week with the Bulls.

If Butler were to be acquired by the Timberwolves it would re-unite him with former Bulls' head coach Tom Thibodeau, who the 27-year-old developed into an All-Star under.

According to Scotto, sources say the Celtics have also inquired about the Timberwolves' seventh pick in the draft.


Spurs want top-10 pick for Aldridge

LaMarcus Aldridge's time with the San Antonio Spurs may be coming to an end. Sources have confirmed to ESPN that the Spurs have spoken to at least three teams about a trade involving the power forward, but it will take a top-10 pick to do it. Aldridge was the Spurs' prized offseason acquisition in 2015, signing a four-year, $84 million contract. But the 31-year-old struggled last season, averaging career lows in points per game with 17.3 and was even worse in the playoffs, averaging only 16.5 points per game on 45.8 per cent shooting. The 11-year veteran can opt out of his contract after the 2017-18 season.

ESPN's Marc Stein reports that the Phoenix Suns may be the only team holding a top-10 pick that would be able to acquire Aldridge and keep him for more than a year. They were in the running for the power forward when he was a free agent in 2014.


Sixers looking to add another first rounder

According to TNT's David Aldridge, sources say the Philadelphia 76ers want to add another first round pick to accompany the first overall pick acquired from the Boston Celtics. Aldridge reports they are looking for something in the 20s and are offering their second rounders at 36 and 39 to move up.

 

Porzingis asking price remains too high

Rumours have been swirling that the New York Knicks young star Kristaps Porzingis is on his way out of the Big Apple. Earlier Wojnarowski reported that sources said the Suns are without traction on a deal to acquire the 21-year-old and are not willing to part with budding young talent like shooting guard Devin Booker.

Aldridge reports that Knicks' management believes Porzingis would be the first overall pick in this year's draft and next and want the haul in a trade to reflect that.

According to Wojnarowski, sources say several teams have engaged with the Knicks regarding Porzingis, including the Celtics, but are unwilling to meet the Knicks' demands so far.

Frank Isola of the New York Daily News reports, a Knicks source says the team wanted the third overall pick in tonight's draft as well as next year's Brooklyn pick along with the Celtics' 2016 first-round pick Jaylen Brown (third overall) and forward Jae Crowder for Porzingis, which the Celtics feel is too high.


Jackson a hot commidity

The most likely spot teams could be trading up to is number three or four. According to The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski, league executives tell him there is a "tremendous appetite around the NBA to trade into the Top 4 to select Kansas' Josh Jackson". Jackson currently sits as the third pick in ESPN's Chad Ford's final mock draft, which would project him going to the Celtics after the team traded down, swapping their first overall pick with the 76ers' third pick. The Suns have the fourth pick.

Jackson, 20, was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year with the Jayhawks, averaging 16.3 points per game, along with 7.4 rebounds, three assists, 1.7 steals and 1.1 blocks from the power forward position. Many believe he is more suited to play a shooting guard or small forward position.