Minnesota Timberwolves Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Anthony Tolliver Weighing Free Agent Options

August 2nd, 2012 at 2:54pm CST by Chuck Myron

THURSDAY, 2:54pm: The Pacers are also displaying interest in Tolliver, according to Tomasson (via Twitter). Nothing is imminent yet, however.

WEDNESDAY, 7:45pm: Free agent forward Anthony Tolliver said the Wizards have been calling him daily, making them a potential front-runner for the four-year veteran, Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida reports. Tolliver says the Bobcats have reached out to him recently as well, Tomasson writes, and the Timberwolves, who renounced his rights earlier this summer to clear cap space, remain in the running, too. Tolliver is seeking a deal that would give him close to the $2MM he made last year in Minnesota (All Sulia links).

Last month reports suggested the Timberwolves and Cavs were in the lead for Tolliver, but the Cavs have faded from consideration. Tolliver told Tomasson he could still envision a return to the Wolves despite the addition of Andrei Kirilenko, who can play both forward positions just as Tolliver does (Sulia link).

Tolliver's points per game regressed for the second season in a row last year, as he averaged 4.1 PPG in 17.3 minutes a night. His three-point shooting, a strength at 40.9% in 2010/11, dipped to 24.8% this past season. A team willing to give the 27-year-old more than a minimum deal would be banking on a repeat of his production in 2009/10, when he averaged career highs of 11.7 PPG, 7.0 RPG and 31.0 MPG.

Timberwolves Sign Greg Stiemsma

August 2nd, 2012 at 2:10pm CST by Chuck Myron

2:10pm: Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune tweets that Stiemsma's deal with the Wolves includes a non-guaranteed second year. It will be worth the $2.575MM room exception, says Zgoda (Twitter link).

AUGUST 2ND, 1:35pm: Stiemsma has officially signed with the Timberwolves, according to the team's official PR Twitter feed.

JULY 24TH, 8:00am: The Celtics have withdrawn their qualifying offer to Stiemsma, making him an unrestricted free agent, according to Ray Richardson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. This clears the way for the Timberwolves to sign the big man outright.

JULY 22ND, 4:26pm: The deal is for one year and about $3MM, tweets A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com.

3:59pm: The Timberwolves and Greg Stiemsma have agreed to terms on a contract, Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune reports (Twitter link). The deal will be for an amount greater than the $1.957MM biannual exception the Celtics were limited to giving him, Zgoda tweets, and comes after Stiemsma's agent Mike Naiditch set today as the deadline for Minnesota to sign Stiemsma at a rate cheaper than he could get elsewhere. Stiemsma reportedly received a significant offer from another team. A report earlier in the week suggested the Wolves would offer him a deal close to $3MM a year.

Though the Celtics were said to be likely to rescind his qualifying offer as of last night, they haven't done so, meaning he's technically still a restricted free agent. Since the Celtics, who are over the cap, only have non-Bird rights on Stiemsma and can't exceed the value of the biannual exception to keep him, they'll be unable to match the Wolves' offer.

Stiemsma averaged 2.9 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.5 blocks as a first-year minimum-salary player for the Celtics last season. He went undrafted out of Wisconsin in 2008 and played in the D-League before getting his shot in Boston.

Southeast Notes: Wizards, Howard, Ferry, Teague

August 1st, 2012 at 6:52pm CST by Chuck Myron

In a piece that calls upon Dwight Howard to act professionally as he seeks to move on from the Magic, Chris Broussard of ESPN.com revisits the big man's decision to waive his early termination option this past March. Broussard says Howard wanted to give the team a chance to improve the roster and was open to staying, but when former coach Stan Van Gundy told the media a team executive had let him know Howard wanted him fired, Howard lost all trust and confidence in the Magic. There are a few other items concerning the Magic's Southeast Division rivals this evening:

Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune expects former Wolves assistant coach Jerry Sichting to wind up in that same role for the Wizards (Twitter link). That appears to be the "tweak" to his staff Wizards head coach Randy Wittman was referring to (link below).

Earlier updates:

Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio applauds Hawks GM Danny Ferry, hired barely a month ago, for assembling a competitive team for the upcoming season while freeing cap space to make a major move next summer.
This coming season will be the last of Jeff Teague's rookie contract, and with all the new faces on the Hawks this year, including fellow point guard Devin Harris, Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution takes a look at how Teague can make the most of 2012/13.
Roger Mason, who agreed to sign with the Hornets today, thought when last season ended that he'd be back with the Wizards, as Michael Lee of The Washington Post writes. With the team drafting Bradley Beal at his position and adding other veterans who can assume his leadership role, the eight-year veteran decided to turn elsewhere.
Wizards coach Randy Wittman held forth on a number of topics, and Lee has the details. Wittman hinted that the team may keep a roster spot or two open heading into training camp, and said he's still considering another "tweak" to the coaching staff after hiring former Spurs assistant Don Newman earlier this summer.
In the same piece, Wittman addressed the team's decision to use the amnesty clause to waive Andray Blatche, saying, "I hope and wish the best for Dray. And maybe this can be the best thing for him in turning his career back around and being the player I think we all think he can be."
Wittman expressed a preference for having three point guards on the roster, and said that's one reason the Wizards signed A.J. Price.

Odds & Ends: Blazers, Timberwolves, McGrady

July 31st, 2012 at 9:55pm CST by Ryan Raroque

The NBA does not make a profit by sending its stars to play at the Olympics, and a move to re-direct their headline players into a rebranded World Cup of Basketball would certainly change that. While Ken Berger of CBS Sports understands the idea of pulling NBA stars out of the Olympic games in the future, he says that it should be based on the premise that "Dream Teams" have run their course, and not because it is driven by an opportunity for David Stern and NBA owners to try to make money elsewhere. With that aside, here are some of tonight's miscellaneous links…

Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld mentions that Jeremy Lamb, Royce White, and Terrence Jones cannot be included in a potential Dwight Howard trade until the end of August, specifically 30 days after each of them signed their rookie deals with the Rockets on July 26 (Sulia link).
In a series of tweets, Jason Quick of The Oregonian reports that Trail Blazers GM Neil Olshey has concluded the second round of interviews and will "move on to the next phase" of the process once all four finalists are given due consideration. Although team owner Paul Allen was not involved in the interviews with Terry Stotts, Steve Clifford, Kaleb Canales, and Elston Turner, Quick assumes that Olshey will ultimately present a recommendation for hire to Allen after deliberation. Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com (via Twitter) pointed out that Turner's interview lasted for four-and-a-half hours today.
When asked if the Timberwolves had more changes to make after the Olympics, GM David Kahn replied, "Maybe it’s a tweak here and there, maybe even something big, to make us even better still" (according to a tweet by Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune). In a separate piece, Marcus R. Fuller of the Pioneer Press documented Kahn's thoughts on the team's new additions this offseason.
HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy says that although the Bulls and Tracy McGrady have flirted in the past, it doesn't sound like a deal is close (Twitter link).

Brandon Roy Talks Retirement, Comeback, Role

July 31st, 2012 at 4:45pm CST by Luke Adams

After initially reaching a verbal agreement with Brandon Roy way back on July 5th, the Timberwolves finally made the two-year deal official today. During his introductory press conference, Roy spoke to the media about last year's "retirement," his decision to return, and his role with the T-Wolves. Here are a few of the highlights, courtesy of Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld….

On his retirement last winter:

"It never really was officially my decision to retire. With the process in Portland, I met with the team doctor, we talked for awhile. We have a really, really good relationship. He’s a guy that’s been working with me for five years with my knees. It was a situation where I went in for the physical, and he thought it would be in my best interest to stop playing basketball because of my knees. We pretty much left it up to the team to decide if they wanted to pursue the medical retirement route. After a week, they decided to use the amnesty. For me, it was never that I was retired…. It’s never a situation where I said, ‘I’m done forever.’ It was more of a pause."

On deciding to return to the NBA and preparing for his comeback:

"It was a tough season to sit out but after thinking about it, I wanted to start preparing myself to make a comeback. I didn’t want it to be an overnight decision so I decided to start working out for about two months before I would make my official decision to come back. After two months of pushing myself, my body felt really great. It responded really well."

On his free agency and the Timberwolves' interest:

"It was a weird process. I never really said ‘I’m coming back.’ It was, ‘I’m thinking about coming back’ just to kind of put feelers out there to see what teams were really excited and believed in me. Minnesota was that team, along with some other ones. They continued to call and watch me workout. When they said, ‘Hey Brandon, the sky’s the limit here,’ that really made me feel good. I thought some teams maybe wanted me to play a small role, but Minnesota said you can come in and earn as big of a role as you want. That was really important for me."

On any limitations he may face in Minnesota:

"I would still love to be around that 35-minute mark. It’s whatever the team needs. I don’t want those situations where coach has to say, ‘We’re in a tough game, but you’re at your minute limit.’ That was something I had to deal with in my last season in Portland. That was really hard. Physically, I feel good. I want to play as much as possible, but at the same time be smart because it’s a long season and we want to be at our best down the stretch."

Timberwolves Sign Brandon Roy

July 31st, 2012 at 1:11pm CST by Daniel Seco

JULY 31ST: The Timberwolves have officially signed Roy, the team's PR Twitter feed announced today. The Wolves are currently introducing the former Blazer at a press conference.

JULY 27TH: With most of their other roster moves finalized, the T-Wolves are finally set to make Roy's contract official early next week. According to the team's PR Twitter feed, Minnesota will introduce Roy next Tuesday at a press conference.

JULY 5TH: Brandon Roy has reached a verbal agreement with the Timberwolves, reports Jason Quick of The Oregonian (via Twitter). Roy will receive a two-year, $10.4MM deal from the Timberwolves, tweets David Aldridge of NBA.com. The former Trail Blazers star retired just prior to the start of the 2011/12 season due to a degenerative condition in his knees. Roy, soon to be 28, announced in June that he would make a comeback in the NBA as his health had improved enough to attempt a return. Darren Wolfson of 1500ESPN.com correctly predicted the deal to be for two years with protection in case Roy's knees impede his ability to play (on Twitter).

The former Washington star had recently narrowed down his list of potential teams to include the Mavs, Warriors, Timberwolves, Pacers and Cavs. Roy had met with the Warriors over the weekend and sought a second meeting with the guard even though they had concerns about his health and asking price. Similarly, the Mavs planned to make a big push for the former All-Star but seemingly never came to fruition given the team's attention to more pressing needs over the past few days. As a result of Roy signing with another team, the Trail Blazers will receive a set-off amount that will reduce their financial obligation to the guard. The set-off amount figures to total a little more than $2MM in 2012/13.

Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld credits Timberwolves assistant Billy Bayno for attracting Roy to Minnesota as the two worked together in Portland and built a strong relationship. Look for the veteran shooting guard to be able to contribute 20 minutes per night as Roy adjusts to the grind of playing at the NBA level. During his final season with the Trail Blazers, Roy averaged 12.2 PPG, 2.7 APG and 2.6 RPG in 47 games.

Glen Taylor Finds Buyer For Timberwolves

July 29th, 2012 at 10:20pm CST by Sean Highkin

Sid Hartman of the Star Tribune reports that Glen Taylor has found a buyer for the Minnesota Timberwolves. The buyer's identity has not been revealed, but Taylor says he expects to close a deal soon.

Initially, the mystery buyer will own around 25 percent of the Timberwolves and the WNBA's Minnesota Lynx, while Taylor will continue to own a majority stake in the teams. This will allow the new owner to slowly transition into the majority owner as Taylor's influence decreases.

Although the unknown buyer is from out of state, Taylor stressed to the Star Tribune that that, as part of the purchase agreement, he has agreed to ensure that both the Timberwolves and Lynx remain in Minnesota.

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Minnesota Timberwolves

Souhan On Wolves, Olympics

July 29th, 2012 at 10:13pm CST by Sean Highkin

Jim Souhan of the Star Tribune has written a new column tracking several members of the Timberwolves' performances in the London Summer Olympics:

New signees Andrei Kirilenko and Alexey Shved, teammates on the Russian national team, both turned in strong performances in an opening victory over Great Britain and have already developed chemistry.
Kevin Love, playing with Team USA, was impressed with the team's two new Russian players, and has already spoken to Kirilenko about the upcoming season.
Kirilenko and Shved were likewise impressed with Love, both today and during the 2011/12 season, and are excited about playing in Minnesota.

Odds & Ends: Cavs, Parker, Kirilenko, Fields

July 27th, 2012 at 10:51pm CST by Chuck Myron

Every team in the NBA gets an equal number of home games and road games every year, but that doesn't guarantee equitability. Matt Moore of CBSSports.com goes in-depth on this year's slate, explaining how strength of schedule varies across the league. The Spurs, thanks to their annual rodeo road trip, have only two home games in February. The Clippers will go on an eight-game road trip while the Grammys occupy the Staples Center, but their rival Lakers only play seven road games during that time. The Magic will play the fewest sets of back-to-back games, with 13, while nine other teams have 22 back-to-backs. There's plenty more of note this evening from around the Association:

Eric Pincus of HoopsWorld notes the Cavs still have the flexibility needed to acquire Andrew Bynum if three-team trade talks with the Lakers and Magic get going again (Sulia link).
Tom Withers of the Associated Press catches up with Spurs point guard Tony Parker, who's taking a more cautious approach to life following the injury he sustained to his eye as a bystander to a nightclub brawl. Parker doesn't plan on letting the apprehensiveness carry over to his play, however.
One NBA assistant coach tells Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune that Andrei Kirilenko is a better fit with Wolves coach Rick Adelman's offensive system than he was with former Jazz coach Jerry Sloan's (Twitter link).
Stephen Brotherston of HoopsWorld talks to Landry Fields, now with the Raptors after the Knicks declined to match his backloaded offer sheet. Fields reflected on his time in New York and says his new team feels optimistic about making the playoffs this year.
Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com echoes the comments of former NBA coach Jeff Van Gundy on ESPN 1000’s "Waddle & Silvy" show, calling for the Bulls to extend coach Tom Thibodeau's contract.
Austin Rivers (right ankle) and Xavier Henry (right knee) have undergone surgeries, the Hornets announced on their website, but both will be ready in time for fall training camp.

Pacific Rumors: Bryant, Johnson, Kings, Clippers

July 27th, 2012 at 9:42pm CST by Chuck Myron

Earlier this evening we asked which team is having the best offseason so far, and right now more readers believe it's the Lakers than any other team. That stands to reason, given their sign-and-trade for Steve Nash and re-signing of backup big man Jordan Hill, along with their ability to convince Antawn Jamison to sign a deal for the veteran's minimum, well below market value. Here's what we're hearing from the Lakers and their Pacific Division rivals:

Kobe Bryant's influence in the Nash acquisition demonstrates Bryant's improved relationship with the Lakers front office, as Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Times writes. Last year, the Lakers hired coach Mike Brown without consulting their star, while Bryant criticized the team on its decision to trade Lamar Odom and for not being more up-front about Pau Gasol's future.
Marcus R. Fuller of the St. Paul Pioneer Press looks at what's gone wrong the past two years for 2010 No. 4 pick Wesley Johnson, whom the Timberwolves traded to the Suns today as part of a three-team deal.
The Kings must show maturity and learn to play with more cohesion for the team to improve, opines Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee.
The Clippers have hired Bob Ociepka as an assistant coach, according to the team's website. The longtime NBA assistant spent last year with the Blazers.