Minnesota Timberwolves Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Odds & Ends: Mavs, Beasley, Bucks, Raptors

April 12th, 2012 at 10:32pm CST by Sean Highkin

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

Dallas radio hosts Barry Horn and Kevin Sherrington weighed in on a couple of Mavericks issues. Horn believes the Mavs are a better team without Lamar Odom, who was shut down earlier this week.
Sherrington speculates that the Mavs are still interested in acquiring Dwight Howard, especially if they can't sign Deron Williams this summer.
Michael Beasley told Ray Richardson of the Pioneer Press that he wants to stay with the Timberwolves going forward. Beasley is set to become a restricted free agent this summer.
Michael Hunt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel says the Bucks lack a clear direction for the future and will not contend with their current roster. Hunt believes the first step will be re-signing Ersan Ilyasova this summer.
Doug Smith of the Toronto Star doubts that Raptors 10-day contract signees Ben Uzoh and Justin Dentmon will be anything more than placeholders for the team.

Jamal Crawford Expected To Decline Option

April 11th, 2012 at 4:22pm CST by Luke Adams

Jamal Crawford was the subject of a ton of trade rumors prior to March's deadline, but both the Blazers and teams interested in Crawford were unsure about whether the veteran scorer planned to exercise his $5.23MM player option for 2012/13. Teams wanting to clear cap room were hoping Crawford would decline the option, while teams not wanting to acquire Crawford as a two-month rental were hoping he'd pick it up.

The Trail Blazers ultimately ended up hanging on to Crawford, and Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld reports that the 32-year-old is expected to turn down his option for next season. While Crawford didn't confirm that report, he did talk to Kennedy about the upcoming offseason:

"If I opt out, I think it'll be really cool to have a traditional free agency," Crawford said. "Last year, everything was so rushed. A lot of people didn't even think we’d have a season and then, all of sudden, everything was thrown together. It happened so fast. If I choose to opt out, this year will be much different and more traditional."

The Timberwolves were one team that seemed on the verge of acquiring Crawford at the trade deadline, and the former Michigan Wolverine didn't rule out the possibility of joining the T-Wolves this summer.

"Anything is possible in the future," Crawford said. "Minnesota was a team that I almost signed with before I decided to come to Portland. I’m sure the interest is still there. I’ve always been a fan of coach [Rick] Adelman and how he goes about things. That’s a little ways away though. We’ll see what happens this summer. Right now, I’m just focused on Portland and trying to get as many wins as possible before the season is over."

The Blazers may be hoping Crawford turns down the option, since they're expected to have a ton of cap space to work with this summer, and taking Crawford off their books would clear an extra $5MM+.

Odds & Ends: Van Gundy, Villanueva, Fisher, Magic

April 7th, 2012 at 9:13pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Several of tonight's NBA matchups have intriguing stories to follow. The Sixers, losers of three out of their last four games, collide with the Magic, who have lost five in a row. The Celtics hold a half-game lead over Philadelphia for the Atlantic Division crown, but face a challenge tonight as they play the surging Pacers, who are on a four-game winning streak. Tonight's Grizzlies–Mavericks matchup has a full-game impact on both teams in the Western conference standings. The Clippers and Kings complete their home-and-home series tonight at Staples Center, just a few days after DeMarcus Cousins had some unflattering words for Blake Griffin following Thursday night's game. With that aside, we'll keep you updated on today's miscellaneous stories here:

John Hollinger of ESPN explores the different coaching options Stan Van Gundy has if he leaves the Magic (Insider link). It is worth noting that Hollinger lists a TV gig with ESPN or TNT, the Clippers, and Wizards among several other possibilities.
Charlie Villanueva is "dying to play," writes Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. The six-year veteran has played in just two games since returning from an ankle injury.
While Derek Fisher hasn't shown a statistical improvement compared to his numbers with the Lakers this season, the Thunder remain hopeful that his intangibles and big-game experience will pay dividends toward the development of the team, says J. Michael Falgoust of USA Today.
In what he considers to be a "sneakered soap opera," Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel shares his thoughts on what to expect from the Magic as they finish the rest of the season and head into the summer.
Antoine Walker announced his retirement from the D-League, tweeted Marc J. Spears of Yahoo.
Expected to file for retirement in June, Brad Miller briefly reflects on a storied career with Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune.
Shabazz Muhammad of Las Vegas Bishop Gorman High School is the only NBA-ready player among the participants at the Nike Hoops Summit, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo.

Odds & Ends: Calipari, Bucks, McGee, Stern

April 3rd, 2012 at 10:05pm CST by Michael Pina

The stars are aligning for current University of Kentucky head coach John Calipari to take the same position with the Knicks, according to Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski. Wojnarowski believes the newly crowned national champion would have an easier transition now than when he took over the Nets over 10 years ago.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Michael Hunt writes that with the cap room they were afforded after they traded Andrew Bogut, the Bucks will make a strong push to re-sign free agent Ersan Ilyasova this offseason. But that they can't afford to pay him $10MM a year. If another team, like New Jersey, makes a run, Milwaukee would be wise to spend their money on a cheaper big man option.
HoopsWorld.com's Alex Kennedy writes about how shocked former Wizard JaVale McGee was when he found out he was traded to Denver.
Lakers center Andrew Bynum has been in the news for some unwise decision making lately. So much so that the team decided to fine him an undisclosed sum of money following last week's game against Golden State. Despite the immediate controversy, L.A.'s general manager Mitch Kupchak came out today and said Bynum was still a major part of the team's future plans, and that they still intend to exercise his $16.1MM team option next season, according to the Los Angeles Times' Mike Bresnahan.
In his weekly mailbag, The Dallas Morning News' Eddie Sefko talked about how the Mavericks' might approach the future, specifically their involvement in the draft and how they'll deal with some of their young players.
Today, SI.com's Sam Amick wrote a piece about how despite Minnesota's recent demise due to multiple injuries, the team still has a bright future. Financially they have flexibility by way of the amnesty provision, and Darko Milicic could be a prime candidate.
Sean Deveney of Sporting News says that recent call ups from the D-League could have a major influence in this year's playoffs.
In an Associated Press report, Commissioner David Stern said he'd "love to add a year" in relation to the league's age limit. Right now, all American players must be 19-years-old and one year removed from high school.
Since joining the Grizzlies, Gilbert Arenas has shown he can play the role of mature veteran, writes NBA.com's Steve Aschburner. One interesting note from the story is Arenas saying New Jersey "kept calling" him. Most likely with hopes to lure Dwight Howard.
Utah head coach Tyrone Corbin says he likes the mismatches his team can create playing Paul Millsap at small forward, writes The Salt Lake Tribune's Steve Luhm.
Chicago general manager Gar Forman said that talks to extend head coach Tom Thibodeau were initiated before this season started, and that they'll resume once it's over, according to ESPNChicago.com.

Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Garnett, Knicks, Nets

March 31st, 2012 at 11:49am CST by Zachary Links

Last night, Kevin Garnett made it 6-0 against his former team, the Timberwolves. Here's more on the Celtics and the rest of the Atlantic Division..

During the second quarter of last night's game in Minnesota, a fan hollered at Garnett, "Hey Kevin, please come back next year!" and the forward simply muttered: "No way," according to Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press.
Knicks rookie center Josh Harrellson isn't sure if his former coach at Kentucky John Calipari is suited to succeed in the NBA, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post.
The Nets pulled out an exciting win in Golden State last night but it will cost them in the draft lottery, writes Colin Stephenson of the Star-Ledger. The Nets' pick will belong to the Trail Blazers if it falls outside of the top three.
Former Knicks guard Stephon Marbury helped propel his team to the CBA championship and now hopes to someday coach the Chinese national team, writes Guan Weijia of Sheridan Hoops.

Odds & Ends: Garnett, Randolph, Kings, Warriors

March 28th, 2012 at 10:24pm CST by Chuck Myron

Don't look now, but the playoffs begin just one month from today. Most NBA teams are in action tonight with 10 games on the schedule, so let's dive in and check on the news from around The Association:

Kevin Garnett will be a free agent this summer, but a return to the Wolves might not be at the top of his wish list. He gave a nod to Minnesota fans, but says he had "nothing positive to say" about the franchise, tweets Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald.
Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee noticed Shavlik Randolph walking through the Kings' locker room tonight, though there's no word if the team is looking to sign him (Twitter link). Randolph reportedly worked out for the Heat earlier this month and has apparently spoken to at least two clubs regarding a deal.
Matt Steinmetz of CSNBayArea.com looks ahead to next year for the Warriors and concludes they need to get a solid third guard, a quality backup for David Lee and Andrew Bogut, and an upgrade at small forward:
Don Nelson, the NBA's all-time winningest coach, says he's been informed he'll be inducted into the Hall of Fame, writes Jeff Caplan of ESPN Dallas. Nelson coached the Bucks, Warriors, Knicks and Mavs after a playing career spent mostly with the Celtics. The official announcement of the 2012 Hall class will come Monday.
Chris Broussard of ESPN.com takes a look at stars who've changed teams in recent years and says what's happened to them since should be a cautionary tale to Dwight Howard and others who could be looking to make a move (Insider link).
A year after the Jazz parted ways with Jerry Sloan in the wake of a rift between the coach and Deron Williams, new coach Tyrone Corbin has established rapport with his players, which has been key to the team's playoff push this year, writes Sean Deveney of The Sporting News.
The Nets have an open roster spot and might look to fill it after finishing tonight's 100-84 victory over the Pacers with only eight healthy players, as the Associated Press reports, via The New York Times. Centers Shelden Williams and Jordan Williams went down, so if those two are to miss any time, the team may target a big man.
Rookie Malcolm Lee is adjusting to life as an NBA point guard as he finds his way into the Wolves' rotation, writes Kent Youngblood of the Star Tribune.

Northwest Notes: Petrie, Rubio, Crawford

March 23rd, 2012 at 7:15pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Northwest Division is home to five playoff contenders, but it could boast only one playoff team in the end. The last-place Blazers are within three and a half games of the final postseason berth, but if the playoffs began today, only the first-place Thunder and the Nuggets, who would be the No. 7 seed, would qualify. Here's the buzz from around the Northwest:

While a report came out earlier today suggesting Kings GM Geoff Petrie was about to sign a new deal with the team, co-owner Gavin Maloof said that's not the case, according to Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee. In a separate story, Jones passes along that Petrie says his job status for next season is the "last thing on my mind."
The discovery of a torn LCL will not affect the timetable of Ricky Rubio's return, according to an Associated Press story published on ESPN.com. The six to nine month timetable, however, suggests Rubio may not be ready for the start of next season. However, Wolves GM David Kahn is optimistic he'll recover in time for 2012/13.
In a Q&A with Brendan Bowers of Slam magazine (hat tip to Ben Golliver of Blazer's Edge), Jamal Crawford says he was surprised he wasn't among the exodus at the trade deadline in Portland. Crawford also asserts he had nothing to do with any uprising against former coach Nate McMillan, citing a connection that dates back to when Crawford was 16 years old.

Kevin Love Talks Future In Minnesota

March 23rd, 2012 at 8:26am CST by Luke Adams

Kevin Love signed a four-year extension in January that should keep him in Minnesota until at least 2015 (he can opt out of the final year of the deal). When Love and the Timberwolves agreed to that extension, the team received some criticism for not simply offering its star forward a maximum five-year contract. The fact that Love can opt out after three years raises questions about his long-term future with the T-Wolves, a topic the All-Star discussed with Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports.

"For me, at the end of the day, I want to win. My first three years were 24 wins, 15 wins, 17 wins," Love told Spears. "Now things are finally turning around. Losing Ricky [Rubio to a season-ending knee injury] was terrible for us. We didn’t make a move at the deadline, which is tough. But we just got to rock with the guys we have now…. At the end of the day, if we continue to progress as we get older, learn the system, learn to play together, things are going to look up for us. But am I going to be here my whole career? That’s really up in the air."

When superstars like LeBron James and Dwight Howard have considered leaving their teams to sign elsewhere, terms like "marketability" and "brand" have been used liberally. The idea that playing in a bigger market increases a player's off-court opportunities is one that Love acknowledges.

"Building a brand is definitely big," Love said. "If someone said they didn’t want to do that they’d be lying to you. If you win everything takes care of itself. That’s how greatness is formed. But guys in bigger markets are going to get more endorsements because that’s just what sells."

With a solid core in Love, Rubio, and rookie Derrick Williams, the Rick Adelman-coached Timberwolves appear to be headed in the right direction. The continued growth of the club over the next few years will be crucial in Love's eventual decision on whether to stay or go.

"Heading into my prime, if I’m here all four years, I’ll have my chance to pick and be 27," Love said. "I will have my chance to go wherever I want. But if we are rolling? Who’s to say what will happen."

Odds & Ends: Blazers, Bulls, Hornets, Lakers

March 19th, 2012 at 10:36pm CST by Zachary Links

With the Bulls' 85-59 victory over the Magic this evening, Tom Thibodeau reached 100 victories and hit that mark in the least time of any coach in NBA history. Here's more on Chicago and the rest of the league..

Blazers interim GM Chad Buchanan originally wanted the Nets 2012 first-round pick sans protection in the Gerald Wallace deal but compromised in the end for top-three protection, tweets Ben Golliver of BlazersEdge.com.
Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com spoke to a number of Bulls players and people around the team about the prospect of picking up a free agent. The general feeling around the club is that while they would gladly welcome a new acquisition, they don't feel as though they need one to win.
David Aldridge of NBA.com takes a look back at the deadline deals that went down and also the ones that didn't. Aldridge opines that the Hornets, Wolves, and Hawks all should have made moves rather than stand pat.
Most of the big names in this summer's free agent class are veterans on the downslope of their career, writes Sam Amico of FOXSportsOhio.com.
The Celtics, Suns, and Pacers will all be flush with cash this summer, writes Larry Coon for ESPN.com (Insider sub. req'd). Teams with limited cap flexibility going forward include the Bulls, Heat, and Lakers.

Brad Miller To Retire After Season

March 19th, 2012 at 8:49pm CST by Zachary Links

Two-time All-Star Brad Miller intends on retiring at season's end, according to Marc Spears of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter). The Timberwolves center plans to turn his attention to his hunting TV show after walking away from the game.

In 14 NBA seasons, Miller has suited up for six different clubs and had two separate stints with the Bulls. The soon-to-be 36-year-old averaged 11.3 PPG and 7.2 RPG for his career.

Miller has a $5.1MM team option for next season that comes with a very small buyout, tweets Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune. If Miller is interested, Wolves president David Kahn would like to see him remain with the organization in some capacity after he's done playing, Zgoda tweets.