According to a solid source the Chicago Triune referred to as a general manager being "on the periphery of the Bryant talks" — solid-as-a-rock source right there, huh? — the Wizards are the "dark horse" possibility in the Kobe Bryant sweepstakes.

That rumor caught fire all day and eventually spread to ESPN, where Marc Stein said he's been told that Washington's interest "is definitely genuine."

So we'll do one better. How about a trip to Washington DC and a conversation with Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld on the matter? Just to stay in the spirit of things with our sources, we'll call Grunfeld "The Epicenter." Seems to be a good enough way to refer to the man who would be on the phone and at the table trying to make this happen here, right?

Well, according to The Epicenter — a man who hardly ever comments on trade rumors — reached late last night, "this is all total fabrication. We've had no conversations with the Lakers or anyone else about trading Gilbert. Normally I don't comment on personnel moves, you're right. But this is total fabrication."

Still, that general manager that the Trib referred to as being on the periphery of the talks didn't back off.

"Watch out for them," he said of the Wizards.