Today's Links:

• Forum Blue And Gold " The End of the Bench
  Here at FB&G, there has been much discussion about free agency, mostly dedicated to the luxury tax, Lamar Odom, and Trevor Ariza. But as we all know, there are the three "other" free agents on our team: Shannon Brown, Josh Powell, and DJ Mbenga. The consensus amongst us fans at least is that Shannon Brown must be brought back as "Farmar-insurance," but not much has been made about re-signing Powell or Mbenga. While neither is nearly as important as Odom or Ariza, each brings his own special niche to the team.
• Forum Blue And Gold " Lakers Draft Day Trades Abound
• Lakers sell two draft picks with an eye on free agents - Los Angeles Times
  With one eye toward free agency and another toward the bank, the Lakers sold two of their picks in Thursday's NBA draft for a combined $4.5 million. The Lakers sat out the first round for a second consecutive season, selling the 29th overall pick to the New York Knicks for $3 million. Then they sent the 42nd overall pick to the Miami Heat for $1.5 million. In both deals, the Lakers also received a 2011 second-round pick.
  
  (Now we sold the #29 pick for $3 million bucks.  The #29 pick would barely make more than that.  Seemed high to me.  But I also thought that if the Knicks are willing to pay that much for #29, there must be a logical reason.  I thought a trade with Memphis might go down, and the Knicks would end up getting Rubio with #2.  That didn't happen, but something still may.  Keep reading.)
• NBA Draft: By The Numbers - Sports Biz with Darren Rovell - CNBC.com
  Below you'll find a list of the lottery picks from last night's NBA Draft, the team they went to, their slotted three-year contract and their agent. As you can see, while these guys are making a lot of money, the slotted contracts make it hard to pull in NFL Draft type of money.
  
  (Read this.  You'll see the #29 is barely worth the money the Knicks paid.)
• Ricky Rubio won't be at Wolves press conference - Ball Don't Lie - NBA - Yahoo! Sports
  Not to read anything into anything, but according to Marca.com, Rubio's father says his son may remain in Spain for a few more years rather than play in Minnesota. But, again, I'm not reading into anything. It's probably just a coincidence Rubio won't be at the press conference today. Maybe the Wolves' staff have the air conditioning cranked too high or something. I don't know. I don't even have my eyes open!
  
  (I'll read into it.  This is getting interesting....if Rubio didn't want to play in Sacramento or Memphis, why would he want play in Minnesota?  Add that to the fact that the Wolves drafted Johnny Flynn immediately after Rubio, and I smell a deal in the works.  Rubio has the leverage.  He can easily play chicken and stay in Spain.  Keep reading....)
• Ricky Rubio, Playing Minnesota Poker - TrueHoop By Henry Abbott - ESPN
  We have been teased. As NBA fans, we were told we would get to see Ricky Rubio, one of the most exciting players on the planet, evolve into greatness before our eyes. Now plenty of people are suggesting -- insiders around Rubio, the GM of the team that drafted him, the father of the player himself -- Rubio may be headed back to Europe for a year or two.
  All this just two days after Rubio stared into the camera and said he wanted to come to the NBA so badly he'd play for free. Now, instead of elite basketball, we get to watch elite poker. Bluffs, counterbluffs and gamesmanship -- perhaps, as sources suggest, with all parties: Rubio, his agent, and the Timberwolves working together to find a new NBA home for the young point guard.
  
  (He will get to New York.  He'll make enough in endorsements to pay his buyout and something tells me the New York draft picks were what Minny may have wanted. How long until this gets done?)
• Ricky Rubio still on radar for New York Knicks after draft - NBA - SI.com
  Why did Minnesota keep taking point guards? Walsh said Friday he plans to call Timberwolves president David Kahn to get the answer -- a discussion that could lead to an inquiry about Ricky Rubio's availability. "I haven't spoken to Minnesota. I will, because David, I know," Walsh said. "I don't know what's going on there. I mean he took a lot of point guards, and so I want to ask him, 'Why did you do that?"'
  
  (...and there you go.)

• 20 Second Timeout: Shaquille O'Neal Trade Overshadows Draft
  Several trades overshadowed Thursday's NBA Draft, with the biggest move--literally and figuratively--sending Shaquille O'Neal from Phoenix to Cleveland in exchange for Ben Wallace, Sasha Pavlovic, a conditional second round 2010 draft pick and cash. It is fascinating that for years we have been told how much Steve Nash makes his teammates better, yet despite being surrounded by multiple All-Stars he has yet to take the team to the NBA Finals even once, while in the past two years Kobe Bryant led the L.A. Lakers to two Western Conference titles and one NBA championship while being paired with just one All-Star. The Suns have clearly acknowledged that Nash will never lead them to a championship, so now they are slashing costs as a prelude to completely rebuilding the team.

More links after the jump.  Click on through.

• Hardwood Paroxysm " Blog Archive " 2009 TrueHoop Network NBA Draft LiveBlog-O-Rama-Rama
• Analyzing each team's draft moves - Scott Howard-Cooper - SI.com
• SLAM ONLINE | " 2009 NBA Draft Grades, Pt. 1
  The grades are in for the Eastern Conference…
• Do Warriors Like Curry a Little Too Much? - SportingNews.com - The Baseline
• Warriors Insist Curry Not Going Anywhere -- NBA FanHouse
  There's still a lot we don't know about the Stephen Curry/Warriors/Suns thing. But one thing we do know is that Warriors general manager Larry Riley and coach Don Nelson are saying in no uncertain terms: Curry ain't going anywhere.
• Hedo Turkoglu opts out of contract with Orlando Magic - ESPN
  Hedo Turkoglu's run with the Orlando Magic appears to be over. A day after the Magic acquired Vince Carter from the New Jersey Nets, Turkoglu's agent said Friday that he sent a notice to Orlando earlier this week that his client will opt out of his contract to become a free agent. Agent Lon Babby said the Magic had made Turkoglu an initial offer that Orlando general manager Otis Smith described as a "jumping off point." But Carter's acquisition signals the Magic are jumping in another direction.
• Alonzo Mourning to becomes executive with Miami Heat - ESPN
  Alonzo Mourning is returning to the Miami Heat -- as an executive
• .Amar'e Stoudemire is having fun on Twitter - Ball Don't Lie - NBA - Yahoo! Sports
  
• (to the Lakers?  Not a funny joke if you're a Suns fan.)
• Houston Isn't Getting a Storybook T-Mac Finish - SportingNews.com - The Baseline
• SLAM ONLINE | " Cavs Get Some Diesel Fuel
  You may be tired of Shaq and Bron by next June.
• Shaquille O'Neal has decided to wear No. 33 with the Cleveland Cavaliers - ESPN
  Shaquille O'Neal hasn't picked out a house in Cleveland yet. He has chosen a jersey number -- his old one. Shaq is going back to No. 33.