FRIDAY, 12:28pm: The deal is official, the team announced (on Twitter).
WEDNESDAY, 9:00pm: The Timberwolves have agreed to a deal with unrestricted free agent center Kleon Penn, Jon Krawczynski of The Associated Press reports (Twitter link). The length and terms of the deal are not yet known. It is most likely a minimum salary training camp deal that includes little or no guaranteed salary, though that is merely my speculation.
The 29-year-old went undrafted out of McNeese State back in 2009, and he has played outside the U.S. ever since. Penn spent the 2014/15 season playing for the Puerto Rican team Vaqueros de Bayamon. In 44 contests last season, Penn averaged 4.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks in 19.3 minutes of action per night. His career NCAA numbers were 5.5 PPG, 4.8 RPG, and 2.9 BPG to go along with a shooting line of .601/.000/.565.
Penn joins a Timberwolves squad that already has a roster count of 17 players, including 16 possessing fully guaranteed deals. The 6’11” big man will certainly have a slim chance to beat the odds and secure a spot on Minnesota’s opening night roster, though he will provide some frontcourt depth during the preseason.
Mark it down: The first move of Milt Newton’s time atop the front office. This one might not prove all that consequential, but we’ll see how it goes.