Like many of the Phoenix Suns' recent NBA draft days, this one will be more about who the Suns are sending away with Phoenix agreeing Wednesday night to a trade that will ship center Shaquille O'Neal to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In exchange for the 37-year-old, 15-time All-Star, the Suns will get about $10 million in savings by acquiring Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic and then releasing Pavlovic, who has only $1.5 million of his $4.95 million salary guaranteed.
Phoenix also gets the 46th pick in Thursday night's draft and $500,000. A buyout of Wallace's contract is also possible after injuries reduced his effectiveness and caused him to ponder retirement. He is due to make $14 million this season and had to be in the deal to match O'Neal's expiring $21 million salary-cap number.
The Suns could also trade Wallace and have not ruled out the possibility that the 34-year-old former defensive star could play for them.
Phoenix and Cleveland have discussed an O'Neal deal since February. O'Neal was a third-team All-NBA pick this year after playing in 75 games and averaging 17.8 points and 8.4 rebounds with career-best 60.9 percent shooting.
O'Neal was acquired from Miami for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks in February 2008 to put Phoenix over the top against the West's size but the Suns won one playoff game with him, missing this year's playoffs altogether with the NBA's sixth-highest payroll.
The Suns were looking for payroll and luxury-tax relief but also questioned whether O'Neal's demand for a post-up game fit the return to a high-paced system and if they could succeed with O'Neal and Steve Nash in pick-and-roll defense situations frequently.
O'Neal had drawn consistent interest, including a recent inquiry from Chicago that involved Brad Miller, and earlier talks with New Orleans until the Hornets balked at giving up Tyson Chandler.
The deal will become official Thursday, giving the Suns four picks in Thursday night's draft at Nos. 14, 46, 48 and 57.
This draft deal did not involve losing a top pick, as the Suns did in dumping five of their first-round picks on draft day from 2004 to 2007.
Dealing O'Neal could mean the Suns look at the only center option at No. 14 in Ohio State's 20-year-old B.J. Mullens. He would be an athletic, offensively skilled balance to Robin Lopez but he is raw.
The Suns also are interested in point guards Jonny Flynn of Syracuse and Jrue Holiday of UCLA if they tumble, and could take North Carolina power forward Tyler Hansbrough if their top 10 targets are gone.
"We have lots to consider," said Suns General Manager Steve Kerr. "We've pared our list down to players we're very comfortable with drafting."