The Timberwolves announced that they will not be making qualifying offers to Michael Beasley and Anthony Randolph, making them unrestricted free agents. Both moves were widely anticipated.
The qualifying offer for Beasley, the second-overall pick in the 2008 draft, would have been for $8.17MM. Randolph, who averaged 7.4 PPG and 3.6 RPG last season, could have been given a qualifying offer for a shade over $4MM.
We keep hearing teams like the Mavericks, Nets, and Raptors named as potential suitors for Steve Nash, but if one of those teams misses out on both Nash and Deron Williams, its next target could be Jeremy Lin. Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld hears from sources that one of those three clubs could sign Lin to an offer sheet, forcing the Knicks to match. Here are a few more free agent updates from Kennedy, with just over 12 hours left until the fun begins….
With less than 24 hours to go until teams can officially begin negotiating with free agents, the focus has shifted from the draft and incoming rookies to where NBA veterans will end up. No free agent is more coveted than Deron Williams, but he's narrowed his choices to the Mavs and Nets. There are plenty of quality players left for other teams, however, including Roy Hibbert and Eric Gordon, whom the Rockets will target, writes Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle, adding that the team is also going after Omer Asik. Here's more on the free agent plans of teams around the league and other late-night news:
The major news of the day in the Pacific Division, and the league, for that matter, is the four-team trade that brings Lamar Odom back to the Clippers, his original NBA team. Ray Richardson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press writes about several key decision the Wolves have to make Saturday, many of which may be tied to the team's pursuit of Pau Gasol via trade with the Lakers. Richardson mentions that Michael Beasley has been working out in Los Angeles with former Laker Norm Nixon, who says his old team would "love" to sign Beasley. Nixon doesn't speak for the Lakers in an official capacity, of course, but it's just one more intriguing tidbit as Sunday's start to free agent negotiation's draws near. Here's more from the West Coast:
Earlier updates:
Eight years ago today, the Rockets made one of the biggest trades in team history, sending Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley, and Kelvin Cato to the Magic in exchange for Tracy McGrady, Juwan Howard, Tyronn Lue, and Reece Gaines. GM Daryl Morey and the Rockets may have been looking to make a similarly big splash this June, but draft day came and went without a major trade from Houston. Still, if nothing else, the Rockets accumulated a ton of talent Thursday night, drafting Jeremy Lamb, Royce White, and Terrence Jones with their three first-round picks.
Here are a few more Friday afternoon odds and ends from around the NBA:
The Timberwolves reportedly made attempts to acquire Pau Gasol earlier in the 2011/12 season, and it appears the team's pursuit of the Lakers big man will continue into the offseason. Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press reports (link via Yahoo! Sports) that when the T-Wolves offered Derrick Williams to Charlotte for the No. 2 pick, it would have been part of a bigger move to land Gasol. While that deal didn't happen, Minnesota is expected to keep trying to acquire the Spaniard this summer, says Krawczynski.
The Bobcats reportedly have five offers for the No. 2 pick on the table, but there's at least one proposal from the Timberwolves that isn't being considered. According to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com (Twitter link), the T-Wolves offered Derrick Williams for the second overall pick and were quickly turned down by Charlotte.
A flurry of trade rumors surounded the Lakers and Pau Gasol yesterday, with Los Angeles reportedly "very open" to discussing Gasol trades. While Wednesday's round of rumors had L.A. potentially landing everyone from Josh Smith to Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (in the form of a top-five pick), I wouldn't be surprised if Pau is a Laker at the end of the day. There still seems to be a divide between what the Lakers hope to get for Gasol and the Spaniard's actual trade value, given his sizable contract. Here are a few more Lakers swirling around on the morning of draft day though:
A day after acquiring Chase Budinger from the Rockets, Minnesota formally introduced the newest Timberwolf in an afternoon press conference. While the T-Wolves gave up their first-round pick and only hold the No. 58 pick in tomorrow night's draft, president of basketball operations David Kahn says the team isn't done making moves, according to Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star Tribune (Twitter link). Here's what Kahn had to say on a few other T-Wolves topics (all Twitter links):
The Timberwolves have sent the No. 18 pick in the draft to the Rockets in exchange for Chase Budinger, reports Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com (via Twitter). The Rockets also included the rights to Israeli forward Lior Eliyahu in the deal, tweets Adrian Wojnarwoski of Yahoo! Sports.