Source: Towns going No. 1 to Timberwolves in NBA Draft

MINNEAPOLIS, June 23 (UPI) -- The Minnesota Timberwolves have already informed Kentucky's Karl-Anthony Towns that he will be selected with the No. 1 overall pick in Thursday's NBA Draft, according to SNY.tv.

"It's done, he's going to Minnesota," the source told SNY.tv. "(Minnesota President and coach) Flip Saunders was big on Jahlil Okafor for a minute there and after Karl came in (Saturday), he decided to work out for them. He only worked out for them and it's a wrap. It's a wrap. They just told him they're going to take him No. 1."

DraftExpress.com projects Towns at No. 1 followed by Duke's Okafor at No. 2 to the Lakers.

"He likes Minnesota," Kentucky coach John Calipari told Adam Zagoria. "He said from day 1 'I'll go to Minnesota, let's build a franchise.'"

But Towns has denied the report, saying that it has "no truth," according to USA Today.

"It's not true whatsoever," Towns told USA Today. "I haven't had any promises. Believe me if I had any promises, I would right now be getting fat and eating a large ice cream. But right now I'm still just trying to find out what team I'll play for and I'm still stressed out waiting for Thursday to come about."

The Timberwolves announced Monday that 2013 No. 1 pick Anthony Bennett is available in a trade, according to ESPN's Marc Stein. The Lakers have been rumored to trying to trade for Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins.