Minnesota Timberwolves Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Bulls Remain In Mix For Anthony Tolliver

September 4th, 2012 at 11:22am CST by Luke Adams

When we got our last update on Anthony Tolliver last Monday, the free agent forward was said to be in "constant contact" with four teams: the Hawks, Wizards, Pacers, and Timberwolves. Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida reports (via Twitter) that those four clubs are still in play for Tolliver, and adds the Bulls to the mix as well.

The Bulls were previously linked to Tolliver this offseason, but it appeared the team had essentially removed itself from consideration as it approached the hard cap of $74.3MM. If they're still in on Tolliver, as Tomasson suggests, the Bulls would not only have to clear a little salary from their books to make room for him; they'd also have to sign the the 27-year-old to a minimum-salary deal, since they used most of their mid-level exception on Kirk Hinrich and their bi-annual exception on Marco Belinelli.

Since agent Larry Fox has indicated that his client isn't "in the minimum game," and the Bulls have no obvious way of clearing salary, it seems like a long shot that Chicago lands Tolliver. The T-Wolves would also have to move salary to sign Tolliver for more than the minimum, so the Hawks, Pacers, and Wizards would appear to be better bets. The Hawks have their $1.957MM BAE to work with, the Pacers have their $2.575MM room exception, and the Wizards still have over $3MM of their mid-level left.

Teams Using Cap Space In 2012/13

September 3rd, 2012 at 8:58am CST by Luke Adams

For NBA franchises, the idea of having cap space is often more conceptual than it is literal. For instance, the Boston Celtics headed into the 2012 offseason with only a handful of contracts on their books and the opportunity to clear $20-25MM in cap room. However, the team never actually used any cap space during the summer, instead opting to re-sign its own players, use cap exceptions, and complete sign-and-trade deals to fill out its roster.

Not every team used the same approach as Boston this summer though — plenty of clubs dipped below the cap, and took advantage by offering players contracts that they would have been unable to offer using cap exceptions. Listed below are the teams that have used cap space at some point during the 2012/2013 season. These squads are no longer eligible to use the $5MM mid-level exception or the $1.957MM bi-annual exception, and may have renounced traded player exceptions in order to claim cap room. They could still have cap space or the $2.575MM room exception available, however.

Charlotte Bobcats: The Bobcats' major free agent signing (Ramon Sessions) was only for two years and $10MM, which could have been achieved using the mid-level exception. However, being below the cap allowed them to claim and acquire Brendan Haywood after he was amnestied by the Mavericks. The Bobcats have less than $2MM in cap space remaining, but do still have their $2.575MM room exception.
Cleveland Cavaliers: The Cavs haven't taken advantage of their huge amount of cap room yet this season, but their approximate $11MM in space could come in handy later in the year, if they agree to take on a bad contract and acquire assets of value in the process.
Dallas Mavericks: The Mavericks entered the offseason having cleared just enough cap room to make Deron Williams a maximum-salary offer, but when D-Will returned to the Nets, the Mavs used that money to add a handful of other players. Chris Kaman's one-year, $8MM deal wouldn't have been possible without cap space, and neither would the team's amnesty bid on Elton Brand.
Houston Rockets: At one point, the Rockets were so far under the cap that they appeared to be a frontrunner for Dwight Howard, considering they could take on virtually all of the Magic's bad contracts. Much of that space was chewed up on big deals for Jeremy Lin and Omer Asik though — the two players will earn close to $17MM annually between them.
Indiana Pacers: Most of the Pacers' big deals this summer involved re-signing players with Bird Rights (Roy Hibbert, George Hill) or acquiring players via sign-and-trade (Ian Mahinmi). Still, it was necessary to use cap space in order to sign both D.J. Augustin and Gerald Green to $3.5MM salaries, something that wouldn't have been possible with the mid-level exception.
Minnesota Timberwolves: The Timberwolves were very active this summer, attempting to clear every last dollar from their books to make a big offer to Nicolas Batum. When the Blazers matched their offer sheet for Batum, the T-Wolves used their plethora of cap room to sign Andrei Kirilenko, Brandon Roy, Alexey Shved, and Greg Stiemsma.
New Orleans Hornets: You could argue that the biggest move of the Hornets' summer was drafting Anthony Davis and Austin Rivers in June, or matching a max offer sheet for Eric Gordon. But their big move with cap space involved acquiring Ryan Anderson from the Magic in a sign-and-trade for four years and $34MM, a figure that wouldn't have been possible without cap room.
Philadelphia 76ers: I didn't love the Sixers' decision to amnesty Elton Brand and clear cap space when the team ended up using that space to sign Nick Young and Kwame Brown. The Andrew Bynum acquisition makes the team's offseason look much better, but cap room wasn't necessary for that deal. The Young signing was the only move that required the space, since his one-year contract exceeds the $5MM mid-level.
Phoenix Suns: After employing their cap space to make a maximum offer to Eric Gordon, the Suns turned to Goran Dragic, Michael Beasley, and a handful of other free agents when Gordon was retained by the Hornets. The Suns still have over $8MM in space remaining, so like the Cavs, they could take on salary later in the season.
Portland Trail Blazers: Like the Suns and Eric Gordon, the Blazers used their cap space to make a failed bid for Roy Hibbert. After that didn't work out, re-signing Nicolas Batum and J.J. Hickson took up a good chunk of their room, leaving them only about $2MM under the cap.
Sacramento Kings: The Kings slipped below the cap, but didn't appear to have big plans for that space — they re-signed Jason Thompson, which could have been done without cap room, and Aaron Brooks' deal was for a modest $3.25MM.
Toronto Raptors: The Raptors' cap space was necessary to make a run at Steve Nash. While that bid failed, the team made the most of its space when they acquired Kyle Lowry from the Rockets without sending out any salary, simply absorbing Lowry's deal under the cap. Landry Fields' three-year, $18MM+ contract also wouldn't have been possible without that cap space.

Update On Overseas Players With NBA Ties

September 1st, 2012 at 5:10pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Olympics naturally drew plenty of attention this summer, but there's another international competition going on that includes NBA players, as well as pros from overseas whose draft rights are held by NBA teams. AJ Mitnick of SheridanHoops.com looks at the Eurobasket qualification tournament and ranks the top 25 players at the event. Marcin Gortat of the Suns is No. 1, but Mitnick shares some notable observations about others on the list. Here are a few:

Cavs small forward Omri Casspi, entering the final year of his rookie deal, is the No. 3 player on the list, and Mitnick writes that he appears more comfortable with his body after struggling to adjust to the weight he added after his rookie year.
The buyout for Bojan Bogdanovic, who checks in at No. 7, becomes more palatable next summer, meaning the Nets, who hold his rights, could bring him aboard then. If they do, they'll be getting a gifted perimeter scorer who could be equivalent to a lottery pick, opines Mitnick.
Like Bogdanovic, Lior Eliyahu's buyout will be easier for the Wolves to handle next summer, too, but while he's No. 10 on the list, Mitnick says he has some defensive flaws, and sees him only as an effective bench player in the NBA.
Milan Macvan, the 54th pick in 2011, could make the Cavs' roster right now, says Mitnick, who adds that he's been one of Europe's most improved big men over the past year. Ranked No. 12 on the list, he nonetheless lacks the mobility to play power forward and the length to play center.
Mitnick thinks Tornike Shengelia, picked No. 54 this June and No. 14 on this list, could be a steal for the Nets, especially considering the NBA game suits his style more than European play.
Vyacheslav Kravtsov, at No. 20, is raw, lacks a feel for the game and severely limited shooting range, but his length and timing as a shot blocker could help him contribute down the road for the Pistons, Mitnick says.

Timberwolves Eyeing Sean Williams

August 31st, 2012 at 1:37pm CST by Luke Adams

The Timberwolves are still scouring the free agent market for potential additions, and the latest name to be linked to David Kahn and the T-Wolves is Sean Williams, tweets Darren Wolfson of ESPN 1500. According to Wolfson, Williams is a potential target for the Wolves, though he cautions that Kahn is talking to a lot of agents. Given Kahn's activity, Wolfson expects the team to sign another big man at some point before the season, he says in a second tweet.

Williams, 25, was waived by the Rockets earlier this week, but appears to have gone unclaimed, making him an unrestricted free agent. Because the big man was part of the trade that sent Courtney Lee to the Celtics, he's ineligible to re-sign with the Celtics until next July, but he's free to sign with any other NBA team, including Minnesota.

The T-Wolves are also said to be eyeing Anthony Tolliver, Mehmet Okur, and Hassan Whiteside as potential frontcourt targets. If the Wolves hope to sign any player for more than the minimum salary, they'll likely have to move salary in a separate deal to clear cap room.

Odds & Ends: Pietrus, T-Wolves, Heat, Pistons

August 30th, 2012 at 3:45pm CST by Luke Adams

Late August isn't typically an active period for NBA transactions, but one notable move took place on this day 12 years ago. On August 30th, 2000, the Cavaliers, Trail Blazers, and Heat completed a three-team deal that sent Shawn Kemp to Portland, Brian Grant to Miami, and three players and a first-round pick to Cleveland. The Blazers ended up getting the short end of the swap — after averaging 17.8 PPG and 8.8 RPG the year before, Kemp's averages dipped to 6.3 PPG and 3.8 RPG in two unproductive seasons in Portland. The Blazers ended up releasing Kemp long before his massive contract came to an end.

12 years later, here are this afternoon's odds and ends from around the NBA:

Timberwolves president David Kahn has spoken to Mickael Pietrus' camp about the former Celtics wing, tweets Darren Wolfson of ESPN 1500. Pietrus isn't likely to accept a minimum-salary deal, so the T-Wolves would probably have to trade a player to make the 30-year-old a real option.
Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel concedes that another veteran addition or two could help the Heat, but cautions not overstate the team's need.
In a mailbag for Pistons.com, Keith Langlois fields readers' questions about the Pistons' rookies, possible trade scenarios, and a handful of other topics.
Dave Deckard of Blazer's Edge examines which players will play at which positions for the Trail Blazers now and down the road.

Southeast Notes: Heat, Chalmers, Webster, Howard

August 29th, 2012 at 8:09pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers may have made the bigger offseason splash, but executives around the NBA still view the Heat as the most dangerous team heading into the 2012/13 season, according to SI.com's Sam Amick. Of the 19 execs, including 10 GMs, asked by Amick to pick their favorites for the 2013 title, 15 chose the Heat, with two opting for the Lakers and two naming the Thunder. We've heard a lot about Southeast Division teams today, so we'll round it all up here, with the latest on top:

Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel doesn't think the Heat are quite as willing to trade for a point guard as they were last year (Sulia link). He says he's seen reports that the Wolves might be looking to deal someone from their backcourt, and though we haven't heard anything specific, Darren Wolfson of ESPN Radio 1500 reported earlier that Minnesota is attempting to work out a trade to free cap room for Anthony Tolliver.
Mario Chalmers, whose continued development has apparently impressed his bosses with the Heat, sees himself among the league's elite point guards, but that might be stretching it a bit, as Winderman writes.
Michael Lee of The Washington Post has more on Martell Webster's signing with the Wizards, which became official today. Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld hopes Webster can improve the team's outside shooting, but Webster, who sees himself as "more of an all-around player," doesn't want to be typecast as a three-point specialist.
Dwight Howard's decision to fly to China for a promotional appearance two weeks after saying his injured back would not allow him to travel to Orlando for his children's basketball camp in Orlando is another sign the former Magic center wanted out of town all along, opines Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel.

Earlier reports:

Shane Battier tells Andrew Beaton of The Chronicle (Duke's student newspaper) that he'd love to recruit former Duke players for the Heat: "We’ve got a pretty full roster, so we didn’t recruit any Duke guys this summer. But, if the opportunity arises, I won’t be afraid to make a phone call."
Newest Wizard Martell Websterspoke to WashingtonWizards.com about signing with Washington and what he expects to bring to the team.
Dwyane Wade has returned to the court for the first time since undergoing knee surgery, as Winderman writes.
In examining four teams he believes are "set up to fail" in the 2012/13 season, Derek Page of HoopsWorld names two Southeast squads: The Bobcats and the Magic.

Wolves Rumors: Tolliver, Blatche, Okur, Andersen

August 29th, 2012 at 9:40am CST by Chuck Myron

We've heard a few dispatches about Wolves GM David Kahn's pursuit of an additional big man in recent days, and Darren Wolfson provides further detail on 1500ESPN.com. We've got the highlights here:

Though earlier reports seemed to indicate the Wolves weren't seeking to trade for a big man, Wolfson hears the team has asked Anthony Tolliver to be patient as the team seeks a trade to free up more cap room. Tolliver's agent has said his client is not interested in the minimum salary, which is all the Minnesota has to offer free agents. Even though Tolliver has been with the Wolves the past two seasons, the team renounced his Early Bird rights earlier in the summer to clear room for Nicolas Batum's offer sheet. Tolliver is reportedly in "constant contact" with a handful of teams, including the Wolves.
We heard yesterday that Andray Blatche and Hassan Whiteside worked out in front of a Wolves scout, and according to Wolfson, Blatche is "said to be open" to signing for the veteran's minimum.
Mehmet Okur is a "long shot" to sign with Minnesota, a source close to Okur tells Wolfson. The 6'11" outside marksman is seeking more than the minimum.
Wolfson reported last week that Josh Harrellson isn't in the Wolves' plans because the 6'10" former Knick doesn't possess the requisite length. Chris Andersen, who's the same height, apparently possesses a wingspan that fits what Kahn and company are looking for, but the Wolves aren't considering him, either.

Northwest Notes: Blatche, T’Wolves, Maynor

August 28th, 2012 at 5:38pm CST by Zachary Links

Here's a look at some items out of the Northwest division..

The Timberwolves were in the building to watch Hassan Whiteside work out yesterday and free agent Andray Blatche was also in attendance, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN. It's not known if Minnesota scout Milton Barnes was in Houston, Texas to scope out both players or just Whiteside.
Yannis Koutroupis of HoopsWorld runs down the ten most important role players for 2012/13 and includes Thunder point guard Eric Maynor, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract. Over the weekend, I looked at what it might take for Oklahoma City to work out a contract extension for the VCU alum. While the Thunder are known to be high on Maynor for his ability to manage a game and high basketball IQ, he may not fit in their budget as they look to find the coin to keep James Harden.
The Nuggets are on the national radar thanks to their recent acquisition of Andre Iguodala, but David Thorpe of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req'd) believes that the next big star to come out of Denver is backup center Kosta Koufos. Thorpe notes that Koufos is the only center in the league who finished among the top five in offensive rebound rate and in true shooting percentage last season. While Koufos may be poised to break out in similar fashion as Marcin Gortat did with the Suns and Omer Asik for the Bulls (now with the Rockets), the Nuggets wisely signed Koufos to a contract extension that keeps him in Denver through 2013/14 at $3MM per year.

Timberwolves Still Considering Free Agent Bigs

August 27th, 2012 at 3:08pm CST by Luke Adams

With 13 players on guaranteed contracts, the Timberwolves have room to add another player or two if they so choose, and it sounds as if team president David Kahn is considering the possibility. According to Charley Walters of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Kahn and the Wolves are mulling adding another big man, and have "several candidates in mind."

After signing Andrei Kirilenko, Brandon Roy, Alexey Shved, and Greg Stiemsma, the Timberwolves are not only out of cap space, but have no cap exceptions available outside of the minimum salary exception. Even so, it appears a free agent addition is more likely than an acquisition via trade.

Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio wrote two weeks ago that the T-Wolves had asked around about trading for a big, but that talks never got far; and in his piece today, Walters specifically says Minnesota is eyeing the free agent market. Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld adds (via Twitter) that the Wolves are watching unrestricted free agent Hassan Whiteside work out today in Houston.

The T-Wolves have also been mentioned as possible suitors for players like Anthony Tolliver or Mehmet Okur, but both free agents are expected to command more than the veteran's minimum, making them unlikely fits for Minnesota. This morning, I took a look at the top rebounders still on the market — if the Wolves are bargain-hunting, they could do worse than some of the options on that list.

Mutual Interest Between Anthony Tolliver, Hawks

August 27th, 2012 at 12:03pm CST by Luke Adams

Anthony Tolliver is still looking for a team to play for in 2012/13, and it appears four options have emerged as potential destinations. Tolliver tells Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida (Sulia link) that the Hawks, Wizards, Pacers, and Timberwolves are the teams still in "constant contact" with him.

We've heard plenty of rumors over the last month connecting Tolliver to the Wizards and T-Wolves, and the Pacers have been mentioned as a possible suitor as well. The Hawks have only been mentioned in passing a potential fit to date, but Tolliver singled out Atlanta in his conversation with Tomasson (Sulia link), noting that he's intrigued by the possible match: "I don’t think they have a guy on their roster with that skill set with shooting and versatility."

According to Tomasson, the Hawks have "great interest" in Tolliver, who has some history with members of the team's front office — when the forward cracked Cleveland's roster as an undrafted rookie in 2007, current Hawks GM Danny Ferry and assistant GM Wes Wilcox were both with the Cavs.

Still, despite apparent mutual interest between the two sides, Tolliver's agent Larry Fox suggested earlier this month that he doesn't expect his client to sign for a minimum salary. The Hawks are over the cap and have used their full mid-level exception, so if they want to offer more than the minimum, they'd have to use their $1.957MM bi-annual exception.