Minnesota Timberwolves Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Berger’s Latest: Lakers, Lowry, Gay, Suns, Seattle

January 25th, 2013 at 7:21pm CST by Sean Highkin

Ken Berger of CBSSports.com has a new column in which he examines the Lakers' options at the trading deadline. Berger attributes at least some of Dwight Howard's struggles this season to having only had a limited amount of time playing in the pick-and-roll with Steve Nash, and suggests that standing pat could be an option. He goes into further depth about the Lakers' options as well as some other topics from around the NBA as the deadline approaches.

The Jazz, Raptors, Hawks, and Timberwolves are among the teams Berger says have interest in trading for Pau Gasol, although none of them have an ideal set of pieces to make a deal with the Lakers.
Berger doesn't believe the Lakers will trade Howard because they have a lot of leverage to keep him in the form of a bigger contract they can offer him than any competitor.
Kyle Lowry may be on the trade market, as people within the Raptors organization are not pleased with him. Berger lists the Mavericks and Hawks as two teams that could be interested in trading for him.
Although talk has cooled in recent weeks, Berger hears from executives around the league that the Grizzlies are still open to trading Rudy Gay, either before the trade deadline or during the summer.
Suns GM Lance Blanks and president Lon Babby could have their job security depend on Lindsey Hunter's success as interim head coach over the rest of the season.
A bankruptcy lawyer is claiming that Kings minority owners should be given an opportunity to match the offer the Maloof family accepted to sell the team to the Chris Hansen-led Seattle ownership group.

Wolves Rumors: Turner, Pekovic, Johnson, Gasol

January 25th, 2013 at 11:26am CST by Luke Adams

This week's edition of Darren Wolfson's Scoops column at 1500ESPN.com focuses on a couple other local teams before getting around to the Timberwolves. There are still a few notable T-Wolves tidbits within Wolfson's piece though, so let's check out the highlights….

Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman badly wanted to add Elston Turner to his staff when he first got the job. Now that the Suns and Turner have parted ways, it's possible he eventually ends up on the Wolves' bench.
Minnesota is still expected to make a move before the February 21st trade deadline, but all is quiet on the trade front at the moment.
The T-Wolves have told Nikola Pekovic they don't intend to shop him, though a source close to Pekovic asks Wolfson, "What does that really mean?" For his part, Pekovic is hoping to remain with the team long-term.
There's a sense that if the Wolves don't re-sign Chris Johnson when his 10-day contract expires on Monday night, he'll land with another NBA team fairly quickly.
As long as Pau Gasol remains a trade candidate, consider the Wolves still in the hunt, says Wolfson.

Northwest Notes: McCants, T’Wolves, Thunder

January 23rd, 2013 at 6:21pm CST by Zachary Links

Marc Stein of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears that former Timberwolves first-round pick Rashad McCants might be on his way back to the D-League's Texas Legends. The 28-year-old, who averaged nearly 20 PPG in China this year, played for the Mavericks affiliate in their debut season. Here's more on the T'Wolves and the rest of the Northwest..

The Thunder will pursue small forward Pete Mickeal when his contract with FC Barcelona is over, according to a report from TuBasket.com passed along by HoopsHype. Mickeal was drafted by Dallas in the second-round of the 2000 Draft but was waived that summer.
The T'Wolves were in on Australian center Aron Baynes early on before the Spurs scooped him up, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN. San Antonio won out thanks to their personal connections with the big man in conjunction with their offer of a guaranteed deal.
The Raja Bell saga has gone on for months in Utah but his reps are hopeful that a settlement can be struck at some point, tweets Shams Charania of RealGM. The Jazz and Bell haven't made much progress on a buyout over the last month.

Andrei Kirilenko Likely To Exercise Player Option

January 23rd, 2013 at 8:43am CST by Luke Adams

When the NBA lockout ended a little more than a year ago, most marquee players who had been on teams overseas quickly returned stateside, but Andrei Kirilenko remained with CSKA Moscow for the season. Now that he's back in the NBA with the Timberwolves, Kirilenko doesn't anticipate returning overseas anytime soon, and expects to pick up his 2013/14 player option to remain in Minnesota, according to Lang Greene of HoopsWorld.

"I’m going to stay in the NBA for sure," Kirilenko said. "There is no doubt about it. I like Minnesota and I like [T-Wolves coach] Rick Adelman."

Kirilenko, 31, has excelled in his return to the NBA, and has been essential in Minnesota as one of the few Wolves starters to stay healthy for most of the season. The Russian forward's averages of 13.6 PPG, 6,9 RPG, 35.0 MPG, and 18.6 PER are all his best marks since the 2005/06 campaign.

It's probably too early to consider Kirilenko a lock to exercise that $10.22MM second-year option, since the lure of a long-term deal could change his mind before July. But assuming he decides not to opt out, it figures to affect the Timberwolves' approach this summer. If the team retains Greg Stiemsma and Dante Cunningham, both on non-guaranteed deals, and hopes to re-sign Nikola Pekovic, there won't be any cap space left over to make a run at a significant free agent.

Nets Mulling Another Run At Dwight Howard?

January 22nd, 2013 at 8:07pm CST by Luke Adams

8:07pm: Tim Bontemps of the New York Post hears the Nets have no interest in going after Howard again, in spite of the earlier report.

10:10am: With the Lakers struggling and Dwight Howard frustrated, the Nets are considering making another run at the All-Star center, according to Jarrod Rudolph of RealGM.com (Sulia link). Rudolph reports that Nets GM Billy King has been quietly searching for a third team that could include an attractive piece that would help facilitate a trade between the Lakers and Nets.

When the Magic were attempting to find a trade partner for Howard at last year's deadline and again over the summer, the Nets topped D12's wish list. However, Orlando ultimately ended up sending Howard to another one of the clubs on a wish list that also included the Lakers and Mavericks. While Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld reported this morning that trading Howard again isn't something the Lakers are currently considering, the Nets feel like L.A. would at least think about it, for the right price, according to Rudolph.

Rudolph indicates that King was preparing an offer that would have included Brook Lopez going to the Timberwolves and Kevin Love heading to the Lakers, with a handful of smaller pieces also included in the deal. The Nets believed the Lakers would be intrigued by Love, but the plan suffered a blow when the Wolves' big man was sidelined for two months with a broken hand.

King will continue to search for a third team that could facilitate a Howard trade, but won't make landing the big man the priority that he did a year ago, according to Rudolph.

Lakers Notes: World Peace, Gasol, Howard

January 22nd, 2013 at 8:55am CST by Luke Adams

When I asked earlier this month whether the Lakers would make the postseason, the votes were nearly split, with just over 51% of you predicting that the club would end up on the outside looking in. In the two weeks since I published that poll, the Lakers have gone just 2-6, and I'd guess if I asked the same question about the team's playoff chances today, the results would lean even more heavily to the Lakers as a lottery team. As the club looks to find a way out of its most recent spiral, let's check in on a few notes out of L.A….

Metta World Peace could become a free agent this summer if he turns down his 2013/14 player option, but he doesn't intend on going anywhere, as he tells Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times: "I want to stay here the rest of my career [and] get past this adversity. I want to finish as a Laker."
The latest lineup change in L.A. involves Pau Gasol coming off the bench, a role he's not thrilled with, according to Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. Still, Pau wants to remain a Laker: "I feel like I'm a part of this team and part of this franchise. I love to play here for as many years as possible because I identify myself with the team. I want it to work."
Kobe Bryant spoke to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports about the Lakers' current struggles.
Following up on Mark Cuban's comments about teams with high payrolls and long losing streaks being more inclined to deal as the deadline approaches, Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News wonders if the Mavericks might approach the Lakers about acquiring Dwight Howard. However, Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld hears from Lakers sources that trading Howard isn't an option the team is currently considering.
We recently heard that the Lakers inquired on the Timberwolves' Dante Cunningham, but according to Kyler, Cunningham was just one of a number of players the Lakers have checked in on.

Northwest Notes: Olshey, Wolves, McGee, Jazz

January 20th, 2013 at 1:44pm CST by Sean Highkin

The latest news and notes from around the Northwest Division on Sunday afternoon:

The Blazers, who've lost five in a row, are hamstrung by their substandard bench, but GM Neil Olshey isn't planning to compromise the team's long-term cap flexibillity to improve its depth this season, The Oregonian's Jason Quick writes. Nonetheless, the GM regrets not adding bench strength over the summer.
Yesterday's 10-day signees Mickael Gelabale and Chris Johnson made an instant impact for theWolves, as Kent Youngblood of the Star Tribune documents.
Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post chronicles the slow development of Nuggets center JaVale McGee, who's averaging fewer minutes than all but two other players who, like him, make at least $10MM a season. "He's got to understand that lazy and crazy isn't going to make it work," coach George Karl said. "We want solid and we want fundamental, and we want spectacular but only when it happens, not forcing the action where sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesn't."
Kurt Kragthorpe of the Salt Lake Tribune is impressed with the way Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin is magaging is players' minutes.

Amico On Gay, Kings, Millsap, West, Oden

January 20th, 2013 at 8:38am CST by Chuck Myron

The latest piece from Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio is brimming with juicy material, so let's dive right in.

Even though the Grizzlies are reportedly in a "holding pattern" regarding trades, Memphis is still talking to other teams about moving Rudy Gay. The clubs engaged most heavily in those discussions are the Bobcats, Timberwolves, Suns and, more recently, Hawks. Nonetheless, a source tells Amico not to expect a Gay trade until after the All-Star break.
Speaking of holding patterns, that appears to be the current state of any potential Kings sale, Amico writes. Whatever happens, it's "pretty clear" this is the final season for Geoff Petrie as GM. He's in the final year of his deal, and the 64-year-old reportedly wants to retire.
We heard Friday about the Nets' possible interest in Paul Millsap, and Amico confirms Brooklyn, along with the Bucks and Nuggets, are among teams that could make a push for Millsap at the deadline. Most of the teams in that mix would want to offer Millsap an extension immediately upon acquiring him, since he's in the final year of his contract.
Like Millsap, David West is another power forward set to hit the unrestricted free agent market, but the Pacers are confident they can re-sign him, Amico reports. That's why the team is largely ignoring trade offers for him.
Greg Oden hopes to sign with a team around the All-Star break or right after the trade deadline. Interested clubs include the Celtics, Heat, Mavericks and Cavaliers.

Odds & Ends: LeBron, Miles, Harrington

January 19th, 2013 at 11:33pm CST by Ryan Raroque

With LeBron James currently slated to become a free agent in 2014, Mary Schmitt-Boyer of The Plain Dealer thinks that speculation about a possible return to the Cavaliers could become a hot topic over the next 18 months. Don't count former Cleveland guard Mo Williams among those who thinks about the notion much, telling Schmitt-Boyer when asked about the possibility of LeBron's homecoming: "I don't know, I don't know. I think that is a question for him only." Here's more links from the rest of the NBA tonight:

In another article, Schmitt-Boyer extracts thoughts from C.J. Miles' former coach Tyrone Corbin about the shooting guard's solid development in Cleveland.
In what is considered a big step in the right direction during his recovery, Al Harrington participated in 3-on-3 scrimmages with the Magic at the end of Saturday's practice (Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel reports).
Rockets coach Kevin McHale, who says that he hasn't seen or spoken with Royce White in over a month, responded with "Out of sight, out of mind" when asked about the rookie forward's current status with the team, notes Ray Richardson of the Pioneer Press.
In another article regarding the Timberwolves' newly signed wing player Mickael Gelabale, Richardson writes that the Frenchman garnered recommendations from fellow Olympic teammates Tony Parker, Nicolas Batum, and Ronny Turiaf. Kent Youngblood of the Star Tribune says that Gelabale looks at his opportunity at an NBA comeback as something that has been on his mind for the last five years.
Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida delves into Vince Carter's goal of someday making it into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Odds & Ends: Grizzlies, Redick, Magic

January 19th, 2013 at 7:24pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Ric Bucher of CSN Bay Area (Sulia link) hears that the trade rumor involving Rudy Gay to the Suns in exchange for Jared Dudley and Michael Beasley was leaked in order to facilitate more offers from around the league. In terms of the Grizzlies dealing Gay for luxury-tax purposes, Bucher notes that the Wizards and Warriors only have trade pieces that would relieve Memphis of the super luxury tax in two years, but not after this season. You can find more of tonight's miscellaneous notes from the Association here:

David Baumann of Bright House Sports Network tweets that the Celtics covet J.J. Redick as a possible trade target before February's trade deadline.
Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel provides a primer of what the Magic front office has to think about heading into next month's deadline. He thinks that GM Rob Hennigan might want to deal for more young players and draft picks while shedding salary, adding that Redick, Glen Davis, Arron Afflalo, Jameer Nelson, and Josh McRoberts are among the team's most tradeable assets. Lastly, Robbins thinks that Orlando is unlikely to part with Nikola Vucevic and that the team has almost no interest in dealing for Rudy Gay.
Noting that Chris Johnson had been a member of Timberwolves' training camp before the season, Ray Richardson of the Pioneer Press says that his familiarity with the team provided an advantage during the team's search for help at center.
The recent struggles of Nuggets swingman Andre Iguodala prompted him to admit after today's practice that he's "probably behind the curve" and has had trouble finding his comfort level this season (Benjamin Hochman of The Denver Post reports).
HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy (Sulia link) anticipates a quiet trade deadline for the NBA considering a busy offseason that saw 31 deals involving 96 players.
Alex Raskin of HoopsWorld looks at Jeff Teague, one of four players who are guaranteed to remain in Atlanta beyond this season, as a viable long-term investment for the Hawks.