Latest On Rumored Lakers, Wolves, Blazers Deal

1:20am: Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com reports another variation on the proposed three-team swap, saying that the Timberwolves may send Luke Ridnour to the Blazers. According to McMenamin, the Blazers would still receive a first-round pick from the Lakers in the deal, which doesn't make sense to me — I'd think giving up Beasley and Ridnour would earn the T-Wolves that pick.

THURSDAY, 1:06am: A source tells John Canzano of The Oregonian that the deal should be completed Thursday morning (Twitter link).

WEDNESDAY, 10:11pm: The deal is getting close and could go down any time, tweets Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld.

8:51pm: Oregonian writer Joe Freeman tweets that right knee tendonitis is one reason Jamal Crawford was not in uniform tonight, but trade considerations were also a factor. Crawford, agent Andy Miller and the Blazers mutually decided to hold him out of tonight's game. Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com tweets, cryptically, that "it's official" Crawford has played his last game as a Blazer. We'll see whether a trade makes that a reality.

8:26pm: With confusion surrounding the status of Jamal Crawford, the Blazers guard is not in uniform for his team's game with the Knicks tonight, reports J. Michael Falgoust of the USA Today. That's a sign he's headed elsewhere, Falgoust believes. (Twitter link)

6:57pm: Joel Bell, the agent for Steve Blake and Blazers reserve guard Nolan Smith, is skeptical a deal will get done, fellow Oregonian writer Jason Quick reports. (Twitter links) 

6:33pm: Dwight Jaynes of Comcast SportsNet said he doesn't think Steve Blake will be a part of the rumored three-way deal between the Lakers, Blazers and Wolves. (Twitter link) The Blazers, seeking only draft considerations, don't want Blake's contract.

The deal appears to be hinging on the willingness of the Lakers to include a draft pick that would head to Portland. Jamal Crawford would go to the Wolves and Michael Beasley would become a Laker. For his part, Beasley seems resigned to going somewhere, judging by his comments to Jerry Zgoda of the StarTribune. 

"I'm just a pawn in this game. L.A. Boston, New Jersey, Orlando, anywhere they decide to move me, then I've got to go," Beasley said. "I'm not saying I want to, but that's something I have no control over. I'd love to stay here. It don't make it no easier if I've got to up and move. I got a nice-sized house with a lot of things inside of it, but I'd rather stay. If I've got to go, it's just business."

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