Now for Plan B. Or maybe even C.

Forty-eight hours before Blake Griffin will stroll to the podium to officially begin the NBA draft as the first overall pick by the Clippers, the event unofficially was kicked off by a blockbuster trade that had a blossoming love affair between the Knicks and Stephen Curry over before it started and mock drafters doing the Etch-a-Sketch shake.
The Timberwolves on Tuesday night had a deal to send two starters, Randy Foye and Mike Miller, to the Wizards for Darius Songaila, Etan Thomas and Oleksiy Pecherov and, most importantly, the fifth overall pick.
The trade, which had not been completed but was confirmed by a source, trumped the Knicks’ attempt to jump into the fifth spot to ensure their chances to land Curry.
Wizards general manager Ernie Grunfeld on Tuesday said he was “having conversations” about several offers for the fifth pick and multiple sources told Newsday that the Knicks’ offer involved Larry Hughes and possibly Wilson Chandler. The Knicks, who are owned by Cablevision, which also owns Newsday, were not comfortable with parting with Chandler. They considered it because of the value they put in Curry, the Davidson guard who led the NCAA in scoring last season, and the possibility of keeping their pick at No. 8.
Instead, the Timberwolves come away with the fifth pick and their own pick at No. 6, along with two more first rounders at Nos. 18 and 28. New team president David Kahn is a Donnie Walsh protege, who began his front-office career under Walsh with the Indiana Pacers.
He has wasted no time in reshaping a lost franchise and the belief is Kahn made the move after getting assurances that Spanish guard Ricky Rubio will be available at the fifth pick. The Timberwolves then likely would take Memphis guard Tyreke Evans at No. 6 to complete a revamped backcourt.
This would suggest that Rubio won’t be taken by the Sacramento Kings at No. 4, where now it is believed that Syracuse guard Jonny Flynn — the overtime hero of the Big East Tournament — is the target. Evans is also believed to be high on their list.
It is after the top six selections where the Knicks plans probably will be compromised because the Golden State Warriors are believed to be a lock to snatch Curry with the No. 7 pick, one agonizing slot before the Knicks. The Warriors have made a commitment to guard Monta Ellis as their centerpiece, but view Curry as too valuable a prospect to pass up.
With both Curry and Evans off the board, it is likely the Knicks will select from the group of Arizona power forward Jordan Hill, UCLA guard Jrue Holiday, Duke guard Gerald Henderson or North Carolina guard Ty Lawson. In other words, Plan C, D, E or F. And, as Walsh said Monday, his staff is prepared for it. This is exactly why the Knicks brought in so many players for workouts over the past two weeks.
“I think there are a lot of guys that might not be there, so I have to be ready on who is there and what we’ll be looking for,” Walsh said.
The Knicks don’t have a second-round pick in this draft, but are expected to acquire one.
Another trade was made on Tuesday, but it did not involve a pick. The San Antonio Spurs acquired former Net Richard Jefferson from the Milwaukee Bucks for three veterans, Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas and Fabricio Oberto, who have expiring contracts. The deal is a salary-cap savings for the Bucks and gives the aging Spurs some much needed young legs.