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Timberwolves Interested In MarShon Brooks

June 26th, 2013 at 11:04pm CST by Luke Adams

WEDNESDAY, 11:04pm: A source tells Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio that the Wolves are "close" to acquiring Brooks (Twitter link).

MONDAY, 4:34pm: Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (on Twitter) asked a source if anything was close on a Brooks deal and he was told that nothing is imminent.  "Nope, they're calling everyone," said the source.

3:37pm: The Timberwolves have talked to the Nets about a potential deal involving Brooklyn guard MarShon Brooks, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. One source tells Bondy that talks haven't escalated to anything serious yet, but the Daily News scribe hears from another source that the Nets made Minnesota a proposal, and are waiting to hear back.

As Bondy notes, Minnesota has a glut of point guards on its roster, including Ricky Rubio, Jose Barea, Luke Ridnour, and Alexey Shved. With C.J. Watson having opted out of his contract with the Nets, Brooklyn is seeking a backup point guard, and would likely have interest in a player like Barea or Ridnour.

If the two sides were to reach an agreement, it would have to be more than just a one-to-one swap to work under CBA rules, since Brooks earns significantly less than either Ridnour or Barea. Both Wolves guards are earning $4MM+, while Brooks' rookie-scale contract pays him slightly over $1MM.

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Wolves Unlikely To Trade Derrick Williams

June 26th, 2013 at 10:56pm CST by Chuck Myron

Derrick Williams has seemingly been a trade candidate since the Timberwolves drafted him second overall two years ago. Still, Wolves president of basketball operations Flip Saunders insists the team is not shopping the 22-year-old power forward, as he tells Sid Hartman of the Star Tribune.

"I haven’t said anything about trading him," Saunders said. "That is something that has been speculative. That’s because last year it was pretty public, it came out of the organization that they were looking to trade him last year. It’s just a lot of speculation from the people, social media, everyone talking about trading him."

A report earlier this month indicated that the team believed Williams could be part of a package to move into the top three picks, but Saunders dismissed that idea. Wolves owner Glen Taylor also told Hartman recently that the team was cool on the idea of trading Williams. Still, rumors have persisted.

"Wilt Chamberlain was traded, guys like Oscar Robertson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar got traded," Saunders said. "Anyone can be trade for the right price. But [Williams is] not a guy that we’re just out there looking to trade."

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Odds & Ends: Fredette, Clippers, Terry, Oden

June 26th, 2013 at 2:35pm CST by Luke Adams

Following the hiring of Doc Rivers, the positive news keeps coming for Clippers fans. Rivers confirmed to the media today that he has spoken to Chris Paul since joining the franchise, which looks like a good sign for CP3's long-term future in Los Angeles (Twitter link via Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com). The Clippers also appear poised to add Alvin Gentry to Rivers' staff, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (via Twitter). Gentry had been deciding between assistant jobs with the Clippers and Lakers.

Here's more from around the NBA:

  • Despite reports to the contrary, Sam Amick of USA Today is hearing that the Kings haven't had talks about trading Jimmer Fredette. Amick adds that the new management group is willing to listen to anything, but there's no indication Fredette is being shopped or even discussed in trade talks at this point (Twitter links).
  • Appearing on KRLD-FM 105.3 in Dallas, Jason Terry said he hopes to wear a Mavericks uniform again before he retires. "You know what, I wear it every night anyway," Terry said (link via Dallas Morning News). "It's my home base. I'm with the Celtics for another two years. I would be more than happy to come back and put the Mavs jersey on and come back and get back on the runway for the Mavericks."
  • The Cavaliers have hired former Bucks head coach Jim Boylan to be the lead assistant on Mike Brown's staff, tweets Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
  • Speaking to Charley Walters of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor acknowledged that the Trail Blazers could be a thorn in Minnesota's side as the team attempts to lock up Nikola Pekovic this summer. Re-signing Pekovic remains the club's top priority, as Walters writes.
  • Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck appeared on WEEI in Boston today to address the departure of Rivers and the next steps for the C's, and Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com passed along Grousbeck's comments.
  • In addition to discussing several of the team's own free agents, Heat president Pat Riley confirmed that Miami has interest in Greg Oden, as Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida outlines (via Sulia).
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Ford’s Latest: Draft Rumors, Aldridge, Jazz, Pacers

June 26th, 2013 at 1:31pm CST by Luke Adams

ESPN.com's Chad Ford is staying busy as Thursday night nears, chatting with fans this afternoon and also publishing a new story with Marc Stein on the latest draft-related rumors and rumblings. Here are the highlights from both links:

  • Stein reported earlier today that the Cavaliers were offering the No. 19 pick to the Rockets for Thomas Robinson, but that pick may also be necessary to complete another deal, whether it's a Shawn Marion trade with the Mavericks or a bigger move. If the Cavs can't finalize another trade though, they'd try to acquire Robinson with that pick, according to Stein and Ford.
  • Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal is skeptical that the Cavs would really offer the 19th pick for Robinson, since the team didn't have much interest in him as of a couple weeks ago (Twitter link).
  • Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld (Twitter link) is also hearing, like Stein and Ford, that the Cavaliers are still trying to figure out a way to make a "mega-deal." Even if the Cavs are interested in such a move, they'd have to find a willing partner, which has been tricky so far. Ford notes in his chat that the Cavs would likely have to include Tristan Thompson along with the No. 1 pick to pull off something big.
  • If the Rockets can make a Robinson trade with the Cavs or Bulls, they'd almost certainly use that first-round pick to draft-and-stash an international player, according to Ford and Stein. Sergey Karasev, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Lucas Nogueira, Dennis Schroeder, and Rudy Gobert are potential targets.
  • Ford wouldn't be shocked if the Bobcats traded down with the Wolves and used the No. 9 pick to draft Cody Zeller. Minnesota is attempting to trade into the top five.
  • Positional need likely won't be a major priority for the Kings, according to Ford, who adds that he thinks Sacramento's roster will be significantly overhauled by opening night of 2013/14.
  • Ford anticipates the Trail Blazers will "seriously listen" to LaMarcus Aldridge trade offers this summer.
  • If the Jazz want to move into the top 10 to take a top point guard, they'll probably have to make Alec Burks available, rather than just the Nos. 14 and 21 picks, says Ford.
  • The Pacers are trying to trade the No. 23 pick, and have been linked to both Robinson and Jimmer Fredette, according to Ford.
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Offseason Outlook: Minnesota Timberwolves

June 26th, 2013 at 8:28am CST by Luke Adams

Guaranteed Contracts

Options

Non-Guaranteed Contracts

Free Agents / Cap Holds

Draft Picks

  • 1st Round (9th overall)
  • 1st Round (26th overall)
  • 2nd Round (52nd overall)
  • 2nd Round (58th overall)

Cap Outlook

  • Guaranteed Salary: $37,670,378
  • Options: $12,399,420
  • Non-Guaranteed Salary: $3,606,974
  • Cap Holds: $12,658,293
  • Total: $66,335,065

2012/13 was supposed to be the coming-out party for the new-look Timberwolves, led by Ricky Rubio and Kevin Love. After an eventful summer that saw the team land Andrei Kirilenko, Alexey Shved, and Chase Budinger, the Wolves looked like a good bet to return to the postseason for the first time since they lost the Western Finals in 2004. No team was more snake-bitten last season than the Wolves though, who endured injuries to virtually every major contributor, and saw Rubio and Love play in the same game just three times.

Still, there's reason for optimism in Minnesota, as the club's core duo remains in place for the 2013/14 season and beyond. Flip Saunders has also assumed control of the team's basketball operations, taking over for David Kahn. As the team's general manager, Kahn wasn't a total disaster, but every one of his hits seemed to be follow up by a miss. Drafting Rubio was a great decision, but taking Jonny Flynn in the same lottery? Not so much. Signing Love to a long-term extension was also the right call, but not giving him the five years he sought was questionable.

In any case, it will be Saunders, not Kahn, who's making the major decisions for the team this summer, and there will be no shortage of those. One of the first significant decisions actually belongs to Kirilenko, rather than the team, as the Russian forward weighs whether or not to pick up his $10.22MM player option for '13/14. While Kirilenko had a productive season in Minnesota, I get the sense that the Wolves wouldn't be devastated if he decided to opt out, since it would create a little more cap flexibility for the team.

Nikola Pekovic also represents a top priority for the T-Wolves this offseason, as the big man hits restricted free agency for the first time. Given the kind of offer sheets we typically see young bigs sign, it wouldn't be totally outrageous to see a rival suitor swoop in with a maximum-salary offer for Pekovic, which would be a tough pill for the Wolves to swallow. Minnesota would have no problem matching an annual salary of $10-12MM for Pekovic, but it will be interesting to see what the team decides if it's confronted with a max offer.

Depending on what happens with Pekovic and Kirilenko, the Wolves may not have a ton of cap flexibility to try to address the long-standing hole at shooting guard. As such, it's easy to see why the team is reportedly interested in moving up in the draft to grab Victor Oladipo. With the Nos. 9 and 26 picks, along with Derrick Williams, the Wolves could put together a tantalizing package in an effort to move into the top three or four, and it wouldn't shock me if that's exactly what happened on draft night.

The likelihood of a trade figures to depend on who the Cavaliers pick with the first overall selection. If Cleveland takes Nerlens Noel, I'd expect the Magic to target Oladipo, and it's not clear whether that hypothetical Wolves package would be enough to sway them. However, if the Cavs were to draft Alex Len, I could see Orlando taking Noel, the Wizards drafting Otto Porter, and the Wolves trading up to No. 4 to snag Oladipo. This is all my speculation, but with Noel and Len off the board, the Bobcats may be willing to trade down a few spots to pick up extra assets in Williams and the No. 26 pick.

If the Wolves stay put in the draft, a player like C.J. McCollum or Kentavious Caldwell-Pope makes sense at No. 9. While I expect the Wolves to address the two guard spot in the draft, rather than in free agency, there are a few available options on the open market too. O.J. Mayo makes some sense, particularly if Kirilenko or Pekovic walks, clearing up a little cap room. Tony Allen and Gerald Henderson look like logical potential targets as well.

With Kirilenko and Budinger facing potential free agency, the team may find itself with a hole at the three as well as the two. In that case, perhaps the focus in the draft and/or free agency shifts to that position, with the Wolves addressing the two in a smaller deal (ie. the No. 26 pick for the Nets' MarShon Brooks). I could see the Wolves attempting to bring back Budinger, since the club liked him enough last summer to give up a first-round pick for him. A knee injury wiped out most of Budinger's 2012/13, but perhaps the lost season will keep his price tag down in free agency.

Last season was a disappointing one for the Wolves, but it shouldn't put a damper on fans' optimism for the future in Minnesota. Love and Rubio remain under contract for at least two more years, and with players like Williams, Shved, J.J. Barea, and Luke Ridnour on board, there are plenty of nice rotation pieces or trade chips on the roster. If the Wolves can bring back Pekovic and/or Kirilenko and add a shooting guard, this team would be at least as good as the squad we expected to contend for the postseason last year. There's no reason to think that a healthier year in 2013/14 wouldn't get the Wolves back in that playoff conversation.

Additional notes:

  • The Wolves hold a team option on Dante Cunningham, and essentially have options on Mickael Gelabale and Greg Stiemsma as well. I wouldn't be shocked if the team went either way on any of the three decisions, though I expect to see Cunningham and Gelabale brought back. Saunders may decide that Stiemsma's production could be matched by a minimum-salary big man.
  • Keep an eye out for the Trail Blazers as a potential suitor for Pekovic. I don't think he's an ideal fit in Portland, since he's far from an elite rim defender, but the Blazers do need a center, and the two teams have engaged in a bit of a back-and-forth on roster moves over the last several years (Nicolas Batum, Martell Webster, etc.).

Cap footnotes:

  1. Stiemsma's contract is fully non-guaranteed. It becomes fully guaranteed if he's not waived on or before July 17th.
  2. Gelabale's contract is fully non-guaranteed. It becomes fully guaranteed if he's not waived on or before July 22nd.
  3. Pekovic will be eligible for a qualifying offer of $6,046,500.

Storytellers Contracts and Sham Sports were used in the creation of this post.

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Cavs Rumors: Robinson, Noel, Len, Trades

June 25th, 2013 at 4:02pm CST by Luke Adams

A Houston Chronicle report earlier today indicated that the Rockets were in "advanced talks" on a deal that would see them trade Thomas Robinson, citing the Cavaliers and Spurs as a couple possible trade partners. According to Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio, the Cavs are indeed engaged in trade discussions with Houston, working on the logistics of a possible Robinson acquisition while attempting to keep a potential deal with the Mavericks alive. Here's more from Amico:

  • Multiple league executives believe the Cavs are looking big with the first overall pick, since the team has been trying to acquire a veteran small forward via trade. The No. 1 pick will likely come down to Nerlens Noel vs. Alex Len, according to Amico.
  • The Cavs have had discussions about trading their second-round picks (Nos. 31 and 33) with the Celtics, Mavericks, and Timberwolves, says Amico. However, when Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities asked a Wolves source about the possibility, he was told, "We did not buy an NBDL team" (Twitter link).
  • On a conference call earlier today, ESPN.com's Chad Ford talked about the possibility of the Thunder trying to acquire the No. 1 pick, suggesting the team would likely have to give up Serge Ibaka to make it work. According to Amico, the Thunder have made it clear to other teams that they're not interested in moving Ibaka, though they remain willing trade partners.
  • While a deal with OKC is unlikely, the Cavs are expected to continue to explore trade options involving the No. 1 pick up until the draft. Amico notes that the team may not feel as if any of the bigs in the draft are ideal fits.
  • The Cavs are also "highly reluctant" to part with any 2014 picks via trade, says Amico.
  • Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon-Journal tweets that he's more convinced than ever the Cavs are trying to move up from No. 19, and says to keep an eye on the Mavs' pick at No. 13.
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Kyler’s Latest: Bledsoe, Marion, Warriors, Deng

June 25th, 2013 at 9:37am CST by Luke Adams

With the 2013 draft now just two days away, Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld tackled some of the most frequently mentioned trade rumors, passing along the latest updates he's heard on Eric Bledsoe, Shawn Marion, and others in today's NBA AM piece. Here are the highlights:

  • A rumored deal that would send Bledsoe and Caron Butler to the Magic in exchange for Arron Afflalo may also include Andrew Nicholson and/or a 2015 draft pick going to the Clippers, says Kyler. L.A. appears to be exploring all its options for Bledsoe, but if no team tops Orlando's offer, a trade could happen on draft night.
  • While the Mavericks are denying that Marion would be attached to a deal involving the No. 13 pick, Kyler is hearing that there are two scenarios on the table that include Marion and the pick. One is with the Cavaliers, while the other is with the Pelicans. A Marion deal isn't necessarily Cleveland's top priority, however, and the fact that Marion has yet to officially exercise his 2013/14 player option may also be complicating discussions.
  • The Warriors would like to trade into the draft and pick up a late first-round pick, but given the team's proximity to the tax line, adding a guaranteed rookie salary to the books may not make sense for Golden State.
  • Breaking down the latest Luol Deng rumors, Kyler notes that it makes sense for Deng to play out the final year of his contract with the Bulls, but adds that he's heard a couple sources describe an eventual Deng trade as "inevitable."
  • Following up on the rumor that the Cavaliers tried to acquire LaMarcus Aldridge, Kyler says there are rumblings the Suns made a play for Aldridge as well. It seems unlikely that the Trail Blazers would move the big man at this point, but there's certainly a market for him.
  • Kyler confirms that the Timberwolves, who have been very aggressive over the last few weeks, tried to make a play for MarShon Brooks involving the No. 26 pick.
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Draft Rumors: No. 1 Pick, Blazers, Kings

June 25th, 2013 at 12:12am CST by Zachary Links

The draft is right around the corner and Chad Ford and Marc Stein of ESPN.com have the latest rumblings as we approach Thursday..

  • The Cavaliers reached out to the Trail Blazers in an attempt to land LaMarcus Aldridge for the Nos. 1 and 19 picks but the Blazers quickly rebuffed them, sources say.  Late Monday night, we heard that the Blazers, Thunder, and T-Wolves have been the most proactive in trying to deal for the No. 1 pick.
  • The Kings want a second first-round pick and are using Jimmer Fredette as bait.  Sources say Sacramento has reached out to several teams in the mid-to-late first round in an attempt to secure another pick and the Pacers and Jazz are potential destinations for the guard.  Kings coach Mike Malone is high on Tim Hardaway Jr. and Tony Snell, but the Kings feel that they can get them much lower in the draft.
  • In addition to the Pacers' Fredette discussions, sources say Indiana has made the No. 23 pick available in hopes that they can unload Gerald Green's contract.
  • The Nets are shopping MarShon Brooks and sources say they want a first-round pick in return.  If the T-Wolves give up the No. 26 pick, they'll probably have a deal on draft night.  Yesterday it was reported that the two sides have discussed Brooks.
  • The Wolves want to move higher up in the draft to select Victor Oladipo.  They're offering Derrick Williams, the No. 9 and the No. 26 pick to move up, but so far haven't found a taker.
  • The Rockets badly want to move Aaron Brooks or Carlos Delfino in conjunction with the draft before they have to just let them go in order to create as much cap space as possible for Dwight Howard.
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Odds & Ends: Rivers, Granger, Ellis, Muhammad

June 25th, 2013 at 12:02am CST by Zachary Links

Doc Rivers is sold on the "new" Clippers, but still isn't sold on owner Donald Sterling.  That could be part of the delay in the two sides hammering out the final details of his contract.  A source close to Rivers told Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald he was getting pulled hard in different directions last week as the Celtics and Clippers were negotiating a deal.

On one hand, Doc had coaching types telling him he had to jump at the opportunity to coach Chris Paul and Blake Griffin.  However, others told him he would be crazy to step into the asylum that has been the Clippers over the years.  Regardless, the contract seems like nothing but a formality at this point and we should see Rivers introduced as the new head man in L.A. this week.  Here's more from around the Association..

  • Chad Ford of ESPN.com hears that the Cavs are engaged in trade talks with a number of teams and sources say the Thunder, Timberwolves, and Blazers have been the most proactive in trying to get the No. 1 pick.  Meanwhile, Ford still believes that Cleveland will go with Nerlens Noel if they keep the top selection.
  • Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (via Twitter) asked an NBA executive for some names that are hot-and-heavy in trade talks.  The names he got back were the Pacers' Danny Granger, the Bucks' Monta Ellis (sign and trade), the Rockets' Thomas Robinson, and the Wizards' Jan Vesely.
  • Brian Shaw's deal with the Nuggets will be either three years or four years, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com.  The Nuggets hired the Indiana assistant earlier this evening.
  • A source tells Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link) that UCLA product Shabazz Muhammad worked out for the Pistons today. The source said that the audition went well for the guard/forward.
  • The Wolves are still offering Derrick Williams around the league to see what they can get for him, tweets Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune.  The T-Wolves reportedly believe that Williams and the No. 9 pick can vault them into the top three.
  • Recently appointed Kings assistant GM Mike Bratz said he's more of a see and "feel" guy in evaluating talent, but does use stats and analytics, tweets Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee.
  • Former Celtics standout Antoine Walker told Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe (on Twitter) that he is "serious" about becoming an NBA coach.
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Northwest Notes: Shaw, Nuggets, Blazers

June 24th, 2013 at 7:54pm CST by Zachary Links

Here's a look at the latest out of the Northwest Division..

  • New Nuggets head coach Brian Shaw told Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post (on Twitter) that he likely won't run the triangle offense in Denver.  As a former Phil Jackson pupil, many expected Shaw to implement the Zen Master's patented gameplan where ever he went.  Most recently, Shaw worked under Pacers coach Frank Vogel and helped take the Pacers to the Eastern Conference finals.
  • The Trail Blazers have interest in restricted free agents Tiago Splitter (Spurs) and Nikola Pekovic (Wolves), according to John Canzano of 750 The Game (on Twitter).  Canzano warns, however, that the Blazers should be very reluctant to get involved in a free agent offer sheet that will be matched.
  • Wolves president Flip Saunders doesn't sound as though he's looking to move up in Thursday's draft, writes Kent Youngblood of the Star Tribune.  The Wolves have the No. 9 and No. 26 picks in the draft but Saunders sees this class as being full of players who are good, not great.
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