Minnesota Timberwolves Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Odds & Ends: Union, Gay, Magic, West, Adelman

January 18th, 2013 at 11:37pm CST by Chuck Myron

It's been quite an evening in the NBA, as a third of the nine games on the docket went to overtime. It was also a rare night when both the Wizards and Bobcats recorded wins. As we wait to find out more about trade candidates and the Suns coaching situation tomorrow, here's the rest of the news from around the Association.

A day after the release of a report detailing abuses of power by players union executive director Billy Hunter, Nets star Deron Williams called for changes from "top to bottom" in the organization, reports Ken Berger of CBSSports.com.
HoopsWorld's Steve Kyler says the Magic aren't interested in Rudy Gay, but wouldn't be surprised to see the team get involved in a trade that sends Gay elsewhere. Orlando's $17.8MM trade exception allows Orlando to get involved as a middleman, as Kyler points out (All Twitter links).
In a piece that looks back on the Magic's in-season trades from years past, Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel argues that Nikola Vucevic has become the team's No. 1 trade chip and urges the front office to hold on to him.
David West won't let his impending free agency distract him from his work with the Pacers, as HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy documents via Sulia.
Wolves coach Rick Adelman won't be returning to the team anytime soon as he continues to tend to his ailing wife, GM David Kahn told reporters, including Ray Richardson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Assistant coach Terry Porter will continue to lead the team in Adelman's stead.

NBA Grants Timberwolves Injury Exception

January 18th, 2013 at 1:01pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA has granted the Timberwolves an injury exemption due to all the players currently sidelined for the team, according to the Wolves' official Twitter account. The exception will allow the T-Wolves to sign a player to a 10-day contract.

This injury exception shouldn't be confused with the standard disabled player exception, which the NBA can grant to replace a player who suffers a season-ending injury. This injury exception allows Minnesota to carry a 16th player on its roster, as Larry Coon explains in his CBA FAQ:

Teams can temporarily have four players on their Inactive List (bringing their roster size to 16) with league approval in the event of a hardship. A hardship can be deemed to occur when the team has four players who are sick or injured and have missed at least three games, and will continue to be unable to play.

Nikola Pekovic and Alexey Shved are the latest Minnesota players to go down, having both suffered injuries on Thursday. Pekovic is expected to miss 7-10 days with a thigh contusion, while Shved's sprained ankle will be re-evaluated tomorrow. The pair joins Kevin Love, Chase Budinger, Brandon Roy, and Malcolm Lee as Timberwolves currently recovering from injuries.

The Timberwolves have signed Mickael Gelabale to a 10-day contract, a move that's expected to be announced today or tomorrow. While Gelabale will be the team's 15th man, the exception will allow the Wolves to add one more player on a 10-day deal, if they so choose.

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Minnesota Timberwolves

Wolves Rumors: Williams, Gay, Roy, Cunningham

January 18th, 2013 at 11:40am CST by Luke Adams

Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities reported yesterday that the Timberwolves are "heavily" shopping Derrick Williams, 2011's second overall pick. In his latest Scoops column, Wolfson shares a few more details on the T-Wolves' trade talks, plus a handful more Wolves-related notes. Let's dive in and round up the highlights….

Within the last week, president David Kahn has transitioned from merely taking phone calls to making them himself. According to Wolfson, Kahn was "aggressively" working the phones this week and was making some progress on a trade. Such a deal would likely involve Williams, and would net Minnesota a big, rather than a wing.
The T-Wolves don't have interest in Portland's J.J. Hickson or Atlanta's Josh Smith.
Minnesota is still weighing whether it makes sense to pursue Rudy Gay. If the Wolves were to make an offer for Gay, it would likely have to include a third team, and would involve Nikola Pekovic.
Brandon Roy's contract may be included in a trade at the deadline for salary purposes.
The Lakers recently inquired on Dante Cunningham, but Cunningham's affordable salary makes the Wolves reluctant to part with him.
According to Wolfson, interest in buying the T-Wolves is "as high as ever." Former Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley, who confirmed yesterday he has interest in buying another NBA franchise, is said to be kicking the tires on the Wolves.
There's no word yet on whether Andrei Kirilenko is leaning one way or the other on his $10.22MM player option for 2013/14.
Minnesota didn't apply for a disabled player exception for Malcolm Lee. As Chuck Myron of Hoops Rumors wrote on Monday, such an exception wouldn't have provided much flexibility for the club.
According to Wolfson, there's some speculation that the Wolves would like to take over basketball operations of their D-League affiliate in Sioux Falls. The Skyforce are currently affiliated with the Heat, Magic, and Sixers, as well as the Wolves.
While it's been presumed for some time that Minnesota would be among the clubs interested in Greg Oden, the team hasn't done due diligence on him so far, like some others have.

Odds & Ends: Roy, Jones, Nene, PEDs

January 17th, 2013 at 10:51pm CST by Sean Highkin

The latest news and notes from around the NBA on Friday evening:

Ray Richardson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press writes that Brandon Roy has shown no indication of thinking about retiring from the Timberwolves.
Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel talks to Magic rookie DeQuan Jones about his unlikely path to the NBA.
Aaron J. Lopez of Nuggets.com revisits the Nuggets' trade of Nene Hilario to the Wizards for JaVale McGee.
In light of the recent steroids controversies surrounding cyclist Lance Armstrong and the Baseball Hall of Fame, HoopsHype has a new column by former D-League player Rod Benson about the relative lack of performance-enhancing drug use in the NBA.
Larry Coon has updated his invaluable Salary Cap FAQ with a new entry on rules regarding international players and some corrections.

Timberwolves Shopping Derrick Williams

January 17th, 2013 at 12:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Derrick Williams is seeing a little more playing time recently, averaging 24.7 minutes per game over the Timberwolves' last five contests after seeing 17.4 MPG up until that point. Kevin Love's recent hand injury has contributed to Williams' increased minutes, but the team also may be trying to showcase the former second overall pick for a potential trade. According to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (via Twitter), Williams is being "shopped heavily" by the T-Wolves.

Since being drafted one spot behind Kyrie Irving in 2011, Williams has struggled to fulfill his potential with the Timberwolves. Wolfson notes (via Twitter) that the team doesn't view Williams as an ideal fit in coach Rick Adelman's system, and is considering its short-term and long-term options in shopping the 21-year-old. With Love out, the Wolves are looking to acquire a big in any deal for Williams, according to Wolfson (via Twitter), though he's not sure about specific names.

This is hardly the first time we've heard about Williams' availability. Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio wrote last Monday that he'd be surprised if the Arizona product was still in Minnesota after the trade deadline. On the same day, Chuck Myron of Hoops Rumors examined Williams' trade candidacy, speculating about some potential fits for the second-year forward.

Although there's no guarantee that the Wolves will move Williams or anyone else by February 21st, Wolfson tweets that the team appears to be "trying hard" to make a move, and that it looks like something will happen in the next few weeks.

Kyler’s Latest: Kings, Gasol, Magic, Bucks, Jazz

January 15th, 2013 at 10:19am CST by Luke Adams

Steve Kyler's latest piece for HoopsWorld is packed full of updates on players who could be on the move before this season's trade deadline. Kyler covers plenty of ground in his column, so let's dive right in and round up the highlights….

The Kings' uncertain ownership situation may result in a quiet trade deadline in Sacramento. While the situation could change between now and February 21st, Kyler says that for now the team appears "frozen in terms of making deals."
Kyler suggests it's possible the Grizzlies will explore ways of getting below the luxury tax line that don't involve trading a big contract like Rudy Gay's.
The Lakers aren't engaged in any trade talks involving Pau Gasol, and may not seriously explore a Gasol deal unless they fall out of the playoff hunt by the deadline.
While J.J. Redick is drawing plenty of interest, rival teams have also called the Magic about Arron Afflalo and Jameer Nelson. If Orlando makes a move, the club would like to include Glen Davis or Hedo Turkoglu to shed some long-term salary.
Pointing to Andrew Bogut as an example of an injured player who was dealt last season, Kyler warns not to rule out Anderson Varejao as a trade candidate.
The Bucks are much more inclined to move players like Beno Udrih, Drew Gooden, and Samuel Dalembert than Monta Ellis or Brandon Jennings, but those secondary pieces aren't drawing much interest.
Al Jefferson seems more likely than Paul Millsap to re-sign with the Jazz this summer, though clubs have been in touch with the Jazz about both players.
The Spurs "will be dealing" DeJuan Blair before the deadline, according to Kyler.
Derrick Williams appears unlikely to be moved by the Timberwolves while Kevin Love remains sidelined with his broken hand.
Several teams have been calling the Suns to inquire on Marcin Gortat. The Rockets are one team believed to have interest.

Western Rumors: Mavs, Barea, Gelabale, Kings

January 14th, 2013 at 11:33pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Western Conference appears to be the stronger than the East once again this season, and the Heat's struggles on their Western road trip further drive home that point. Miami lost again tonight, to the Jazz, and face another stiff test Wednesday against the Warriors. We rounded up news from a couple Pacific Division teams earlier tonight, and we'll do the same for the rest of the Western Conference here.

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban reiterated his willingness to take on salary to make a trade, and said he's constantly trying to come up with ideas for GM Donnie Nelson, observes Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News.
Jose Barea said he thinks every day about what might have happened if the Mavs had made an effort to match the deal he signed with the Wolves in 2011. Tim McMahon of ESPNDallas.com has the details.
At the bottom of his story on Barea, Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune notes the hangup in the Wolves' plan to sign Mickael Gelabale might be whether they can get him a work visa and administer a physical before Lazar Hayward's 10-day contract is up on Thursday.
Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com ponders what would happen if the Maloofs decide to wait a while longer before selling or moving the Kings (Sulia link).
John Reid of The Times-Picayune checks in with Austin Rivers, the 10th pick from last June who's fallen to the fringes of the rotation for the last-place Hornets.
It's the first year of a hybrid partnership between the Blazers and the D-League Idaho Stampede, and Stampede owner Bill Ilett indicated that there's been some friction, in his comments to KTIK Radio 93.1 FM in Boise. Ben Golliver of Blazer's Edge provides a transcription.

Pacific Notes: Cousins, Nash, Clark, Kings

January 14th, 2013 at 10:20pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Clippers and Warriors may be the only two Pacific Division squads in line for a playoff spot, but in terms of dramatics, they're getting upstaged by their closest neighbors. The Kings could be on their way out of town, while the way the Lakers have struggled this season is probably the most surprising development of the season. Here's more on the Pacific's most intriguing off-court teams.

In his report on a halt to trade talks involving Rudy Gay, Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio also notes that the Kings never went further than exploratory discussions with other teams about DeMarcus Cousins, who'll likely remain in Sacramento while the future of the team's ownership is in limbo.
Steve Nash, who says his team's goal is merely to make the playoffs, pointed to the Lakers' coaching change as a stumbling block this season in his comments on the "Max & Marcellus" show on ESPNLA 710 Radio (Twitter links via Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com). "It's been a 180 degree difference from Coach (Mike) Brown's offense to Coach (Mike) D'Antoni's. … Big reason we've struggled," Nash said.
Earl Clark, a throw-in as part of the Dwight Howard trade, has suddenly become a contributor for the Lakers, and Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News chronicles his journey to NBA relevance.
With an eye on the Kings' potential move, Tom Ziller of Sactown Royalty takes a look back at the NBA relocation committee's rejection of the Wolves' plan to move to New Orleans in 1994.
Former Kings first-round pick Omri Casspi is among those who don't want to see the team leave Sacramento, writes Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Plain Dealer.

Teams Facing Disabled Player Exception Deadline

January 14th, 2013 at 6:13pm CST by Chuck Myron

Plenty of teams have had to endure injuries to star players this season, as Derrick Rose, Dirk Nowitzki, Andrew Bynum, Kevin Love, John Wall, Eric Gordon and others have all missed significant time. Still, for a team to get any monetary relief from the NBA, a player must be out for the entire season. The league grants the disabled player exception to teams who'll be without a member of their roster for the entire season, and Tuesday is the last day for teams to apply for it.

As Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors spelled out when he looked at this exception, it gives the team an amount equal to half the injured player's salary that it can use to sign a replacement to a contract for the rest of that season. Teams can also use that amount, plus $100K, to bring in a replacement via trade, as long as the incoming player is in the final year of his deal.

The exception doesn't automatically show up in a team's ledger when a player goes down. Clubs must submit an application to the league, which considers whether to fulfill requests on a case-by-case basis. Ostensibly, this is to prevent teams from trying to replace players who might come back at some point later in the season. But, if the injured player surprises and makes it back before the end of the year, the team suffers no penalty.

We heard earlier today that the Lakers are exploring the idea of applying for the exception to replace Jordan Hill, who was ruled out for the season on Friday. Over the weekend, the Timberwolves made official news that's been expected since last month, announcing on their website that Malcolm Lee is done for the year. Yet for all the players suffering injuries this season, only a handful of players appear to be definitely out for the season. We'll round them up here, with amount the exception would be worth in parentheses.

Channing Frye, Suns ($3MM): There's no real need for Phoenix to pursue the exception, since they're already more than $3MM under the salary cap.
Brandon Rush, Warriors ($2MM): The W's might be hesitant to add salary this season, since they're already a taxpaying team, and they're about $3MM below their hard cap, which the disabled player exception would not excuse them from.
Malcolm Lee, Timberwolves ($381,098): The amount of this exception would be tiny, so it would be of little use in signings, but it could allow the Wolves a little bit of flexibility in trades.
Jordan Hill, Lakers ($1,781,800): Luke Adams looked at the Lakers' case earlier today, noting that the Lakers already have more than $1.5MM available as part of their mid-level exception, so it seems unlikely they'd need the DPE.
Elliot Williams, Trail Blazers ($721,440): The Blazers have already obtained the exception for Williams, though they have yet to use it.

Larry Coon's Salary Cap FAQ and ShamSports were used in the creation of this post.

T-Wolves Planning To Sign Mickael Gelabale?

January 14th, 2013 at 9:46am CST by Luke Adams

The Timberwolves appear close to reaching a deal with French forward Mickael Gelabale, according to Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune. Minnesota doesn't currently have an open roster spot, but the team may add Gelable on a 10-day deal when Lazar Hayward's 10-day contract expires.

We heard yesterday that Gelabale's team in Spain has granted him permission to travel stateside to negotiate an NBA deal. The 29-year-old has an NBA out in his contract that must be exercised by the end of the month — otherwise, he'll head back overseas and finish the season with Valencia.

According to Zgoda, Timberwolves president David Kahn confirmed before yesterday's game that the club maintains its interest in Gelabale, and said the Wolves are "working on some things," though he didn't confirm whether an agreement was in place. As our 10-day contract tracker shows, Hayward's deal is set to expire this Thursday, so Minnesota will have an open roster spot at that point.

Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities has reported multiple times that Gelabale is seeking a 20-day guarantee to come to the NBA, so if he signs a 10-day contract with the T-Wolves, it's possible it will be followed by a second 10-day deal. A 2005 second-round pick, Gelabale hasn't appeared in an NBA game since the 2007/08 season, with the SuperSonics.