Minnesota Timberwolves: United We Limp!

[cha59]

yeah, 1 or 2. He could be starting at 2 for us depending on what else we do this offseason.

Rubio
Shved
Budinger
Love
Pek

Ridnour
Barea
Williams (if he doesn't get traded)


Ellington
Lee

Wes

If we get a solid backup C and another good wing, we could have a very nice rotation.

It'd be really nice to get rid of Wes if we could find a sucker to take him. I'd like to see the end of the bench not tied up with bad players with guaranteed contracts.

I think we'll find out for sure in the next few days if Beasley, AR, Webster and Tolliver will be brought back. Beasley & Webster must go imo. Adelman doesn't like AR at all imo, so he'll be gone. I'd like Tolliver back if he's cheap enough and if we still leave 1 or 2 spots open on the roster for D leaguers on short term deals.

[Exothermic]

resign beasely and trade him and d.wlliams for gasol....


btw is twolves offering big $ for ray allen or oj mayo??.... i rem memphis was looking for a draft pick for mayo this past season, we surely should of been in pursuit of that ....

[cha59]

I'm not 100% sure, but I think there is no sign & trade anymore. If we sign Beasley, its to keep him. I think his QO is $8 mil this year. No ****ing way. I don't want him at the league minimum anymore - let someone else try to let him reach his potential. I'll be happy for him if he ever does, but doubt he ever will. I have seen enough of him here.

Mayo is a below avg sg (better than what we have now though) and there's a good chance he'll get overpaid. I'd take him if the price is right.

I've heard Ray Allen is considering Miami, so he might take less money to go there. I doubt we'll go after him.

We are going after B Roy - that is public info. I don't know what to make of that yet.

Crawford is a guy who we might go after, and while he's an improvement over what we had last year, I think we can do better. I guess he's mostly a chucker who doesn't play much D.

I'd love to somehow get Iggy or Batum or R Gay or Deng. I don't really know who would be available and what it would take to get Gay or Iggy or Deng. Batum is a RFA and I've heard Portland is going to match whatever offer he gets.

The are several other guys who might be available via trade, and there are several other good FA wing options available.

[cha59]

oh yeah, when we tried to trade DW for the #2 pick in this year's draft, that was going to be part of a bigger deal in an attempt to get P Gasol.

[cha59]

RFAs:

They can’t be traded on those qualifying offers unless they accept them, becoming players on 1 year contracts. They won’t do that until they test the market. Further, even if they accept the QOs, they can’t be traded without their permission. In theory, the QO could be extended and then they could then agree to contracts in sign and trade situations, but this is unlikely.

http://www.canishoopus.com/2012/6/30...-the#106866879

[Exothermic]

oh btw wasnt rudy fernandez going to be a free agent this year?.... hes an upgrade from ridnour as well, & dont think hes expensive.... i guess the biggest problem is getting a decent name/player to come to the twolves but so much potential this team ahs.... hope something big happens..

[cha59]

I just heard John K (AP guy) on Barriero say that the Wolves:

- declined team options on Beasley & AR

- extended something or another so that Webster, Miller & Darko's contracts are on the books for another month - this allows them to be included as filler in trades. If we don't make trades including them, expect Webster & Miller to be bought out and Darko to be amnestied -

- are pursuing B Roy (we knew that already) - I've heard just a little more about this and I'm starting to think he might actually good again. Another thing I heard about this - Portland amnestied him, so whatever anyone pays him will be deducted from what Portland owes. Basically, wherever he goes, he'll get the minimum from that team. We don't know if he wants to come here, but he has a relationship with Wolves assistant Bill Bayno, which might help.

- have already made an offer to N Batum. It sounds like we have ~15 mil in cap space, but Portland has said they'll match any offer. This would be an awesome signing if it happens, but I still think its a slim chance we get him. I just found this: http://www.csnnw.com/pages/landingbl...14&feedID=5212
4 years - $45 - 50 mil. Portland is prepared to offer a max deal to Hibbert, so I dont know for sure, but that might help our cause here.

- Steimsma and Jordan Hill are coming to visit. ok fine, we need a backup big.

[ACG2x]

Everything being reported so far is that MIN is Batum's preferred destination. It sounds like he's kind of bitter at POR for not extending him last year when they had the chance. I think if POR doesn't sign Hibbert they pass on Batum too and begin rebuilding. Can't see them locking $50M in without other pieces in place. I am really beginning to think that Batum will be in a Wolves uniform next year, even if they have to S&T him.

Although he had a "good visit" (doesn't everyone say that?), I don't think Steinsma will play here. He has indicated his preferred destination is back to BOS. I'd actually rather have Jordan Hill anyway.

While it would be nice to get Roy, especially if the contract has a "knee clause" as it should, there are too many suitors there. I'd give our odds at snagging him right now 10-15%. Wolves have too many other needs to press all recruiting energies into a guy with his background.

The LOLakers still believe it's 2006 as they are trying to send out as many smoke signals as they can to get someone to bite on giving them premium pricing for a Gasol trade. If I'm Kahn, I wait them out because LA needs to trade him more than we need to trade for him. He would be a great addition but not at their outrageous price. Word was from ATL they wanted Josh Smith and another mid-tier talent. Never mind the fact Smith is more valuable than Gasol right now. As the summer progresses and the luxury tax looms larger, they will have no choice but to come down on their price. If the Wolves want to shove and try to win now, dealing Derrick & Ridnour for Gasol isn't the worst deal and would probably turn us into nearly a 50-win team.

So right now, I think we will sign Batum and Sheved. I also think we have a very legit shot at Hill. Roy would be nice but that's a bit pipe dreamish now. Even with those moves, our roster is:

PG: Rubio/Ridnour/Barea
SG: Sheved/Ellington
SF: Budinger/Batum/Wes/Hummel???
PF: Love/D. Williams/Tolliver???
C: Pekovic/Hill

GONE: Beasley, Randolph, B. Miller, Martell, Darko (amnestied)

I like the length and athleticism this lineup can provide. Our wings are now very long and can run/jump with the best of them. Either way, props to the FO for going more balls out than many years past trying to get winning talent here.

[The Yugoslavian]

What's changed so much in Portland that they'd be willing to not sign Batum? For years it's been all about how much the fans and organization is in love with him...

[cha59]

Originally Posted by The Yugoslavian

What's changed so much in Portland that they'd be willing to not sign Batum? For years it's been all about how much the fans and organization is in love with him...

They think $8 - 9 mil is more than he's worth. $12.5 mil is way more than they want to give him, and it might be way more than he's worth. I've seen quite a few defensive stats the past couple days that suggest he's a poor defender.

Our plan B if we can't get Batum is to make a push for Iggy. After reading all kinds of stuff at Canis, I think that should have been our plan A. In the Wolves defense here, Batum is younger and less expensive (I think Iggy has 2 years ~$32 mil left on his contract). But Iggy is a far superior defender - actually the best wing defender in the NBA by a lot of stats over a long period of time.

Check this out: http://www.depressedfan.com/basketba...ictim-list.php

I agree with ACG2x - we should wait for the Lakers to get desperate about dumping Gasol. If they dont dump his salary, they are in for lots of problems. Next year, he'll be an expiring $21 mil contract and they aren't going to get much of anything for him. At his age, his value is going to decline fast.

There are ways we can still wind up getting Gasol (hopefully cheap - DW + Ridnour + filler is fine with me), keeping Pek, and getting either Batum or Iggy. I think this would push us past 50 wins and we'd be a nightmare matchup for anyone in the playoffs including OKC. We'd have possibly the best 3 man big rotation in the NBA which would give OKC fits. If we had Iggy to guard KD, that's a series we could win.

btw - I think we haven't amnestied Darko yet because he's a potential salary cap balancer for several potential trades.

This is fun - I just wish things would happen a little faster

[cha59]

Ray Allen in the mix now too ...

Darren Wolfson ‏@DarrenWolfson
Add another FA to #Twolves list: per @DAldridgetnt, they had a conf. call w/ Ray Allen. Will need to land a couple, but they’ve been busy.

by mjfan02 on Jul 3, 2012 5:43 AM PDT reply actions
Follow Up ...

Darren Wolfson ‏@DarrenWolfson
Allen’s agent initiated, not MN. Even so, 1. RT @CourtlandOlson: @DarrenWolfson on a scale of 1-10 … what are their chances of getting R.A.?

via CH ^

[The Yugoslavian]

Yeah, Iggy > Batum I'm pretty sure. Although I think Batum is a better shooter right? So I mean, that has to be good too for the Wolves.

Not sure which one would fit better salary-wise...but I dno, Iggy seems really good and while he hasn't played tons of playoffs, he seemed very solid on team USA, I think he was even playing C some? Maybe my memory is off, but he is obv an elite defender.

Hmmmm, seems the Wolves have options. Hopefully that guy from Europe ends up being a v solid 2 - that still seems like the area where it will be hard to upgrade through free agency. A lot of the 2s available are either going to get way overpaid or they have issues. Obv Ray Allen would be great but I dno, his foot may be shot and I doubt he signs with the Wolves anyway.

[ACG2x]

I actually don't want us to touch Allen with a ten foot pole. First, he is obv old and will struggle to play a full time starting two guard minutes all year. Since our current other viable options at that spot are nothing, we need a guy who can contribute and play all year.

Second he will be expensive. He is a likely HOF veteran who has many suitors. The Wolves have so many other needs which they can fill with solid talent that can regulararily contribute, it just doesn't make sense to spend our limited FA budget and recruiting energies on him.

Love the player, don't like chasing him this off season.

[ajmargarine]

MIA is talking about paying Allen $3M. MEM can offer $5M. I don't think he'd be that expensive. We like to pay everyone $4-5M, anyway. But, I doubt he'd come here.

[Halstad]

Why would Sheved want to sign with MN? perplexing to me