Minnesota Timberwolves Rumors

Central Links: Cavs, Asik, George, Hinrich

November 30 at 8:03pm CST By Chuck Myron

The Pacers are the class of the NBA, but next they face a tough Western road trip that includes tough tests against the Clippers, Blazers, Spurs and Thunder. The only breather appears to be their matchup with the league-worst Jazz. There’s more from Indiana as we check the latest from the Central:

  • The Cavs have “kicked the tires” on Omer Asik in the past, writes Bob Finnan of The News-Herald. It’s not clear when Cleveland showed interest in the Rockets center, but it doesn’t appear from the report like the Cavs are in on him now.
  • In the same piece, Finnan asserts that the Cavs shouldn’t trade Dion Waiters because he might be the team’s best player, even with Kyrie Irving around. Irving is off to a slow start, but Waiters hasn’t been any better statistically, so I’m not sure that part of the argument holds any water.
  • Paul George spoke to Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune this week about a variety of topics, including whether he gave thought to signing with a glamour team in free agency before he agreed to a long-term extension with the Pacers. “Of course everyone does, but you have to look at the bigger picture and the bigger picture here is we’re all young, we did so well last year, we have a core group of guys who are going to be here for a while,” George said. ”There’s no need to go to a big market when I have a market where I can win here.”
  • George also told Zgoda about his predraft workout with the Timberwolves in 2010, revealing that they didn’t show much interest in him because they were sold on Wesley Johnson. George, the 10th pick that year, still holds a grudge against the nine teams that passed him up, as Candace Buckner of the Indianapolis Star details.
  • The Bulls signed Kirk Hinrich last year with the thinking that they’d reduce his role this season, but the 32-year-old soon-to-be free agent is again a key player for the team after another Derrick Rose injury, observes K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune.

Pacific Notes: Williams, Kings, Lakers

November 29 at 7:13pm CST By Ryan Raroque

Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee characterizes the Kings’ move for Derrick Williams as “playing a hunch” – a hope that a new situation will help the former second-overall pick tap into his potential. With the franchise in rebuilding mode, Voisin writes that outside of DeMarcus Cousins, Ben McLemore, and Isaiah Thomas, pretty much everyone else is up for grabs on the trading block. Here’s more out of the Pacific Division tonight:

  • Mark Deeks of the Score evaluates the Williams-Luc Mbah a Moute swap for both Sacramento and Minnesota. Keeping Williams’ potential in mind, Deeks writes that the Kings took a gamble that was nearly “impossible to pass up,” whereas the Timberwolves appeared to have created a logjam at the wing with Dante Cunningham‘s minutes to account for as well as the eventual return of Chase Budinger.
  • According to Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times, Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni ”hated” that Elias Harris had to be cut today. Both Bresnahan and Mark Medina of the L.A. Daily News report that the team isn’t expected to fill in their 15th roster spot anytime soon (Twitter links).
  • Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel says the Lakers dropped the ball in sacrificing future financial flexibility in order to reward Kobe Bryant with a generous extension. The Los Angeles Times relayed a handful of fan reactions this afternoon regarding the deal, and most didn’t seem to be enthused either.

Upcoming Contract Guarantee Dates

November 29 at 12:02pm CST By Luke Adams

As we’ve outlined before, players on non-guaranteed contracts will see their full-season salaries become guaranteed if they remain on an NBA roster beyond January 7th, 2014. Up until that date, teams can safely release most players on non-guaranteed deals and avoid paying their entire salaries — the club would be on the hook for just a pro-rated portion of that salary, or a partial guarantee that was previously agreed upon.

However, not every player on a non-guaranteed contract has to wait until January to find out whether they’ll be receiving a full season’s worth of pay checks. There are at least three players whose deals are known to include earlier guarantee dates. Here’s a breakdown of who those players are, the dates they’ve got circled on their calendars, and the likelihood that they’ll receive full guarantees:

Maalik Wayns (Clippers)
Guaranteed for $788,872 if not waived on or before December 1st.
We haven’t heard any updates on Wayns’ status since he underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in mid-October. While the 22-year-old surely would have preferred to stay healthy, the injury could end up benefiting him financially. As Larry Coon writes in his CBA FAQ, non-guaranteed players who are injured and subsequently waived will receive full guarantees until they’re healthy again or until the end of the season, whichever comes first. So even if Wayns is waived by the Clippers in the next couple days, he’ll continue to earn his salary.

A.J. Price (Timberwolves)
Guaranteed for $947,907 if not waived on or before December 8th.
Ricky Rubio and J.J. Barea are getting nearly all the point guard minutes in Minnesota, so there haven’t been many left over for Price, who has been unproductive in his 30 total minutes this season. The Wolves, who were ravaged by injuries last season, know better than most teams that having more than enough depth can come in handy later in the year, but perhaps the club will choose to release Price and re-add a third point guard if and when one is needed.

Jannero Pargo (Bobcats)
Currently partially guaranteed for $300,000. Guaranteed for $1,399,507 if not waived on or before December 10th.
Like Price, Pargo has been stuck behind a pair of effective point guards in the early going — Kemba Walker and Ramon Sessions are ahead of him on Charlotte’s depth chart. Pargo has played just 15 total minutes in three games, so virtually everything I wrote about Price applies to the veteran Bobcat as well. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the team cut Pargo to save a little money, then re-sign him later in the season if depth becomes an issue.

Western Notes: Wolves, Thunder, Mavs, Kings

November 27 at 4:56pm CST By Luke Adams

Following up on comments he made yesterday about trading Derrick Williams to the Kings, Timberwolves president Flip Saunders acknowledged that the deal could end up looking very short-sighted, but said he still felt comfortable pulling the trigger.

“You have to look and see: What is the value where you’re at?” Saunders said, according to Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune. “What’s the value going to be in two months? What’s the value going to be at trading deadline? What’s it going to be next year?I just didn’t foresee Derrick being able to play much. And if a guy’s not playing, usually your value is not going to go up.”

Here’s more from around the Western Conference:

  • Thunder GM Sam Presti is prioritizing longevity and sustainability when it comes to roster-building and culture-building in Oklahoma City, as Darnell Mayberry of the Oklahoman details.
  • David Kahn‘s drafting of Williams in 2011 was understandable, since the forward was viewed as the consensus No. 2 pick at the time. But this week’s trade is the acknowledgment of another failure for the Timberwolves franchise and for the Kahn era, writes Jim Souhan of the Star Tribune.
  • Chatting with Mavericks fans on Tuesday, Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News discussed the possibility of moving Shawn Marion, Jordan Farmar as a potential trade target, and why a playoff berth could help the Mavs in free agency.
  • After averaging 22.0 PPG in his first three contests with the Reno Bighorns, Ray McCallum has been recalled from the D-League by the Kings, the team announced today in a press release.
  • Current Pacers assistant Nate McMillan spoke extensively to Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com about his time as head coach of the Trail Blazers, including his regrets about how he handled Nicolas Batum.

Fallout From Wolves/Kings Trade

November 26 at 2:57pm CST By Luke Adams

The Timberwolves and Kings finalized a trade today that sent Luc Mbah a Moute to Minnesota straight up for 2011′s second overall pick, Derrick Williams. Because Williams is making a little more money this year than Mbah a Moute, the Wolves obtained a trade exception worth $428,576, which will almost certainly go unused. While that TPE may not be noteworthy, a few of today’s quotes out of Minnesota and Sacramento were, so let’s round them up….

  • Sources tell Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld that the acquisition of D-Will isn’t the only trade the Kings have discussed. According to Kyler, there’s a belief that the Kings have “one or two more deals up their sleeves.”
  • Kings GM Pete D’Alessandro cited Williams’ untapped potential in explaining to Sam Amick of USA Today why the team decided to acquire him. D’Alessandro adds within the same piece that he feels like the Kings owe it to their fans to be aggressive in exploring roster moves.
  • Wolves president Flip Saunders tells Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune (Twitter link) that Minnesota talked about acquiring Mbah a Moute over the summer when the team put together the deal that sent Luke Ridnour to the Bucks.
  • Reports yesterday indicated that Mbah a Moute would have to undergo a physical before the swap become official, due to concerns about knee issues. However, according to Saunders, that physical has yet to happen — the Wolves were confident enough in their research that they were comfortable completing the deal without it (Twitter link via Zgoda).
  • More from Flip: Asked about the possibility of sending Shabazz Muhammad and/or Robbie Hummel to the D-League, Saunders said the notion that they won’t see any playing time with the Wolves isn’t necessarily true (Twitter link via Zgoda).
  • Interestingly, while Saunders suggested to Zgoda (Twitter link) that he and Rick Adelman concluded Williams couldn’t play small forward in the Wolves’ system, D’Alessandro says the initial plan for D-Will in Sacramento is to start him at the three (Twitter link via Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld).
  • Alexey Shved was rumored to be available as well, but he hopes to remain with the Wolves, as he tells Phil Ervin of FOX Sports North.

Kings Acquire Derrick Williams

November 26 at 11:08am CST By Zach Links

TUESDAY, 11:08am: The deal has become official, according to Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune (via Twitter).

MONDAY, 6:49pm: The Kings are set to acquire Derrick Williams from the T’Wolves for Luc Mbah a Moute, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter).  The deal is pending a physical for Mbah a Moute, who has knee troubles, but a source says that it would have to be really bad for the Wolves to nix the trade (link).

Williams, the former No. 2 overall pick in the 2011 draft, has reportedly been on the block for more than a year now and while former GM David Kahn couldn’t find a home for him, new team president Flip Saunders may be on the cusp of doing just that.  Williams might have been able to change the new regime’s impression of him with a hot start this season, but 4.9 PPG and 2.4 RPG through eleven games hasn’t helped his stock.  Earlier today, Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN reported that a Williams trade seemed imminent.

The Kings have been aggressively pursuing trades and are reportedly targeting a solution at small forward.  Mbah a Moute, a summer pickup, was supposed to be the answer, but he’s more of a role player than a starting three.  As the UCLA product averages career-lows in points, rebounds, and minutes per game, Williams could represent an upgrade, even though small forward isn’t his natural position.  The T’Wolves gave serious thought to moving Williams to the three – even having him drop from 250 pounds down to ~235 – but he never seemed to get the hang of it in training camp.

If completed, the trade would give Williams a fresh start while reuniting Mbah a Moute with former UCLA teammate Kevin Love.  Mbah a Moute will be a defensive upgrade for Minnesota as he and Corey Brewer figure to frustrate opponents on a nightly basis.

Mbah a Moute, 27, is set to earn $4.58MM this season and $4.38MM in 2014/15.  Williams, 22, will make $5.29MM this season and $6.68MM next season before reaching restricted free agency.

Marc Stein of ESPN.com (on Twitter) first reported that the two sides were in advanced talks on a swap of Mbah a Moute and Williams.

Odds & Ends: Rose, Williams, Kobe, Melo, Dirk

November 25 at 9:51pm CST By Zach Links

It’s deja vu for the Bulls as they’ll be without Derrick Rose for a while.  The question now is whether they should keep this gang together in hopes of putting it all together late in the season upon Rose’s return, or cut bait and begin repurposing, writes Zach Lowe of Grantland.  Breaking the team up could also have the added benefit of lightening this season’s tax bill in the process.  Here’s more from around the Association..

  • The Nets were linked to Derrick Williams before he was shipped to the Kings earlier tonight, but team sources tell Fred Kerber of the New York Post (on Twitter) that they weren’t among the interested clubs.
  • Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com looks at how Kobe Bryant‘s new deal affects Knicks star Carmelo Anthony.  Melo will hit the open market after the 2013/14 season and Los Angeles has been linked to him for quite some time.  The question now is, will Anthony still be attracted to L.A. now that they likely would have to fill out the roster with minimum salary retreads.
  • Meanwhile, Brad Townsend of the Dallas News wonders what an extension for Mavs star Dirk Nowitzki might look like in the wake of Kobe’s new deal.
  • Heat veteran Rashard Lewis gave serious thought to retiring, but he’s very happy with his choice to continue, writes Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld.  Lewis thought he was finished, but he now finds himself as a significant contributor in Miami.

T-Wolves Close To Trading Derrick Williams?

November 25 at 2:48pm CST By Luke Adams

Derrick Williams‘ stint with the Timberwolves may be nearing its end, says Darren Wolfson of ESPN 1500 Twin Cities (Twitter links). The buzz is that a Williams trade is close, according to Wolfson, who lists the Jazz, Kings, Knicks, and Nets as possible suitors for the forward.

We typically don’t see many in-season swaps made before offseason signees become trade-eligible on December 15th, but that doesn’t mean teams can’t strike deals before then. Still, it’s not clear whether Minnesota is on the verge of finalizing a trade involving Williams, or whether the team is simply progressing to more advanced talks with potential trade partners.

A report earlier this month suggested that the Wolves had made both Williams and Alexey Shved available. Team president Flip Saunders denied that report, but Williams hasn’t been an ideal fit in Minnesota, and has been the subject of plenty of trade rumors and speculation. ESPN.com’s Chad Ford reported a week ago that the Kings had “a lot of interest” in the former second overall pick.

The Wolves picked up Williams’ 2014/15 option prior to opening night, so any team acquiring him would be on the hook for the rest of this year’s $5.02MM salary, along with next year’s $6.33MM.

T’Wolves, Kings Talking Derrick Williams Deal

November 23 at 6:18pm CST By Zach Links

The Timberwolves and Kings are in advanced talks on a deal that would swap Derrick Williams for Luc Mbah a Moute, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com (on Twitter).  It’s not yet known if the deal could expand to include more pieces, Stein tweets.

Williams, the former No. 2 overall pick in the 2011 draft, has reportedly been on the block for more than a year now and while former GM David Kahn couldn’t find a home for him, new team president Flip Saunders may be on the cusp of doing just that.  Williams might have been able to change the new regime’s impression of him with a hot start this season, but 4.9 PPG and 2.4 RPG through eleven games hasn’t helped his stock.  Earlier today, Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN reported that a Williams trade seemed imminent.

The Kings have been aggressively pursuing trades and are reportedly targeting a solution at small forward.  Mbah a Moute, a summer pickup, was supposed to be the answer, but he’s more of a role player than a starting three.  As the UCLA product averages career-lows in points, rebounds, and minutes per game, Williams could represent an upgrade, even though small forward isn’t his natural position.  The T’Wolves gave serious thought to moving Williams to the three – even having him drop from 250 pounds down to ~235, but he never seemed to get the hang of it in training camp.

If completed, the trade would give Williams a fresh start while reuniting Mbah a Moute with former UCLA teammate Kevin Love.  Mbah a Moute, 27, is set to earn $4.58MM this season and $4.38MM in 2014/15.  Williams, 22, will make $5.29MM this season and $6.68MM next season before reaching restricted free agency.

International Rumors: Cook, Landry, Johnson

November 23 at 2:11pm CST By Chuck Myron

It’s been an active day on the international market, and for Chinese teams in particular. China has been a hub for players fresh off NBA rosters of late, and there’s news linking the country’s Chinese Basketball Association to three more NBA veterans, while a fourth appears to be headed elsewhere. Here’s the latest:

  • Six-year NBA veteran Daequan Cook has agreed to play for Budivelnyk Kyiv, a Ukrainian club, as Basket.com.ua reports (translation via Sportando). BDA Sports Management handles Cook’s representation, as our Agency Database shows.
  • Lakers training camp casualty Marcus Landry is a primary target for the Shanghai Sharks of China, who are seeking a replacement for the injured Von Wafer, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com. The 28-year-old Landry is the younger brother of Kings power forward Carl Landry.
  • Former Timberwolves center Chris Johnson has signed a one-year contract with the Zhejiang Guangsha Lions in China, as Shams Charania of RealGM.com confirms. Sportando contributor David Pick first reported the deal was in the works (via Twitter). Johnson had a guaranteed minimum-salary contract with the Timberwolves, who nonetheless cut him at the end of camp. Depending on how much money the Eric Fleisher client’s new contract is worth, it could trigger set-off rights that would allow Minnesota to pay slightly less than the $916K they owe him. Multiple teams from overseas appear to have been interested in the 6’11″ center from LSU, as Charania writes that he was “scouring offers” on the international market.
  • D.J. White has officially signed with China’s Sichuan Blue Whales, Sportando reports (on Twitter). Stein reported earlier this week that the Blue Whales and the Jeff Wechsler client had agreed to the deal. The Bulls cut White at the end of the preseason.