Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor has filed legal documentation responding to a complaint filed recently by minority shareholder Meyer Orbach, writes Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. Orbach, who says he owns approximately 17% of the franchise, argued that his “tag-along rights” were violated, since he didn’t get the opportunity to cash out his stake in the team when the sale agreement with Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore was finalized.
Taylor contends that Orbach is not entitled to be bought out at this point because Rodriguez and Lore won’t assume majority control of the Timberwolves for two more years. For now, the duo has only agreed to purchase 20% of the club — full majority control will be subject to further investment and further league approval over the next two years.
While the legal battle between Taylor and Orbach may ultimately have little-to-no impact on Timberwolves fans, Dane Moore of Blue Wire Podcasts (Twitter link) points to an Instagram comment that made be of more interest to fans in Minnesota.
As Moore writes, Rodriguez replied to a comment asking him to keep the Timberwolves in Minnesota by replying, “We will!” There has been speculation that the new ownership group might want to relocate the franchise, but A-Rod’s first public statement on the topic suggests that’s not the plan.
Here’s more from around the Northwest:
- Jazz point guard Mike Conley, who has yet to play in the second round due to a mild right hamstring strain, is “making progress” but remains day-to-day, head coach Quin Snyder said on Monday, per Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune (Twitter link). While Utah could still conceivably win the series if Conley remains unavailable, the last couple games have showed how much the team misses its starting point guard, writes Tony Jones of The Athletic.
- Trail Blazers center Enes Kanter said during a Monday appearance on SiriusXM Radio that he’d be surprised if Damian Lillard decides he wants to leave Portland, as Marc Berman of The New York Post relays. “He wants to win it all in Portland. I’m saying this every time I talk about him, but he’s definitely one of the most loyal and maybe the most loyal player in the league,” Kanter said. “… He doesn’t care about the big market, big-city base, and that he wants to just bring a championship to Portland and the state of Oregon.”
- With Michael Porter Jr. up for a rookie scale extension this offseason, Mark Kiszla and Mike Singer of The Denver Post discuss whether the Nuggets should be comfortable putting a maximum-salary offer on the table for the 22-year-old forward.
Timberwolves fans? Never heard of them.
So lame when Kanter gets brought on a show and they ask him questions about Dame. Kanter is in the league too.
You want Dame? Book him. Otherwise ask Kanter questions about his dad or Turkey or offensive rebounding…and that’s kinda it.
Mark Kiszla is a well-known idiot, which is probably why he thinks Denver can get away with offering Porter Jr. less than the max.
If Denver doesn’t offer MPJ top dollar, he’s going to get mad and sign the shortest deal he can (like Kevin Love did in Minny back in the day), OR he’s going to refuse to sign, OR he’ll sign and demand a trade, OR he’ll sign a toxic offer from another team.
No matter how you slice it, Denver has only two choices: Trade MPJ now because they don’t think he’ll be healthy, or pay him his money. That’s it.
Anyone who is comfortable with giving Michael Porter Jr. a maximum salary offer with his history of injuries would have to be an idiot, regardless of being well-known or not.
I mean you’re team LITERALLY traded for a guy who has 2 major knee and feet injuries…..
O.O
Oh Wally. If MPJ becomes an RFA, he’s going to get a max offer from somebody. Denver can expect that.
Injury risk is high, but he’s like a young version of James Worthy right now, but a better shooter. Very likely an all-star if he stays healthy.
He’s got max contract written on his forward bro.
TRADE
It’s a Jokic team… get him some playoff performers instead.
Actually MPJ’s max would not be as much as that $40mil range, I think. The link does not say.
A trade for a proven all-star that balances the team and puts them in a position to win right now makes perfect sense, especially given his injury risks. But I’m not sure who Denver could get that they’d really want.
And the flipside is that Denver would be devastatingly good if they kept MPJ, Murray, and Jokic together for the next 5 years. Throw in a 3-and-d wing and a rim protecting forward and you’ve got a killer starting five.
If Harden can tough it out for game 5, so can Mike Conley tomorrow night.
Cue the Willis Reed comparisons?
“We will”…..I can now rest easy!
I mean, it’s not as if A-Rod has shamelessly lied in public in the past or anything, but as a midwest sports fan, this is good news for now.
A-Rod HAS to say, “We Will”.
They are stuck in MN for 2 more years before A-Rod’s Group is in control.
If Minnesota was told that the team was going to move in 2 years, the current level of team support would crumble.
AFTER A-Rod gets the keys…
Watch out for the moving trucks….
Not a bad thing considering the Timberpuppies level of futility since 1989 – rather a blessing.
Welcome the new Tampa Bay Bucketneers !!