Jeff Denberg of the AJC reports that the Pistons had a little surprise for the Hawks the other day. They don't know if they really want the No. 23 pick in Wednesday night's NBA draft and might want to deed it over to the Hawks after all.

Well, the Hawks have a little surprise for the Pistons. They're not sure they want it, now that they have the option.

Chris McCosky of the Detroit News reports that the Pistons could trade their first-round pick. With the slim chance that they can find an impact player with the 23rd pick, they may have better luck trading the pick to a team looking for an additional first-round selection. As a result, President Joe Dumars is busy lining up potential trades to either get out of the first round or to land one or two second-round picks.

"We could trade the pick, no question," Dumars said. "We are going to wait and when the draft starts getting down to the 20s, we will have a list of five or six guys that we like. If those players are gone, we will look to move the pick."  

Dumars has already talked with the Wizards who could exchange two second-round choices for the Piston?s pick. He has also talkes with Atlanta who is owed a pick by Detroit from the Stackhouse trade. Dumars could offer the pick to the Hawks to complete the trade, but the Hawks, who currently do not have a first-round pic, have the right to decline. If the Hawks don't take the pick, the Pistons will probably convey their first-round pick next year, since they will be getting a probable lottery pick from Memphis.

The Pistons are still working out players in the event that they have to use the pick. On Monday, John Salmons from Miami, Jiri Welsch from Slovenia, Preston Shumpert from Syracuse and Boozer will be in. On Tuesday, Luis Scola from Spain, Jason Jennings from Arkansas State and Matt Barnes from UCLA.

The Washington Wizards and the Detroit pistons are talking about swapping draft picks. Steve Wyche of the Washington Post reveals that The Wizards and the Pistons have been involved in trade talks, with Washington possibly sending their two second-round picks (No. 39 and 40) to Detroit for the 23rd pick in the first round at next Wednesday's NBA draft, according to Detroit President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars.

If the Wizards gain Detroit?s pick, it would allow them to fill holes at the small forward and point guard positions in the first round. Junior college prospect Qyntel Woods, Indiana forward Jared Jeffries and Slovenian Bostjan Nachbar, who could all play small forward, appear to be the most likely candidates to be drafted by Washington with the No. 11 pick. Jeffries' stock is on the rise after a series of strong workouts, though, and he is expected to be taken by the Phoenix Suns at No. 9 or the Miami Heat, who hold the 10th pick, according to several league sources and agents.

The guards that may be available with the 24th pick are Dan Dickau, Frank Williams, Roger Mason and Juan Dixon.  

Washington plans to work out Woods and Jeffries for a second time Sunday or Monday and also will get a private workout with Nachbar, Fresno State's Melvin Ely and Stanford's Casey Jacobsen among others.

The Hawks found out on Monday that the Detroit Pistons will not be sending the 23rd pick overall in the 2002 NBA Draft to the Hawks.

The pick might have been sent to the Hawks, completing a trade with Houston that sent 2001 second round pick Terence Morris to the Rockets. The Rockets sent the rights to the pick owed them by Philadelphia, which in turned had been owed from the Pistons.

The Hawks will now attempt to either make a deal to acquire a pick in the first round (not likely) or stand pat with their own pick early in the second round (#37).

The Hawks would still like to deal around 10 million in salaries in combination with two future first rounders they are owed by other teams (HOU via DET, IND) and bring in a small forward type player that can fit in with the other core starters (Jason Terry, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Theo Ratliff, DerMarr Johnson).