Derrick Williams Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Wolves Make Williams, Shved Available?

November 12th, 2013 at 10:46pm CST by Luke Adams

10:46pm: Wolves president of basketball ops Flip Saunders called Wojnarowski’s report “untrue” and told Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune that he’d prefer to wait until the team is at least 20 games into the season to make a major move. Saunders added that the team hasn’t pursued any free agents and that he’ll talk personnel matters with coach Rick Adelman this week before evaluating the roster again next week.

9:46am: The Timberwolves are off to a solid 5-3 start this season, but it sounds as if the team won’t necessarily be content to play out the season with its current roster. League executives tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports that both Derrick Williams and Alexey Shved are available in trades that would help the T-Wolves add veteran contributors.

Wojnarowski’s note on the Wolves duo comes within a larger piece on the Knicks, which we covered earlier today. According to the Yahoo! scribe, with Kevin Love eligible for free agency two years from now, the Wolves are “determined to make deals” that would help the club make a deep playoff run this season or next. That could mean trading a talented but inconsistent young player like Williams or Shved for a veteran more capable of helping Minnesota win in the short term.

Williams, the No. 2 overall pick in 2011, has been considered a potential trade candidate for some time, since he has never quite fit in Minnesota. Within his latest piece for Grantland, Zach Lowe notes that other teams have been keeping an eye on Williams “for a while,” sensing an opportunity to buy low on the third-year forward. However, the 22-year-old hasn’t improved his stock much with his subpar play in the Wolves’ first eight contests (5.8 PPG, 8.5 PER).

Shved, 24, had a solid rookie season in Minnesota last year, averaging 8.6 PPG and 3.7 APG. Like Williams though, he has struggled out of the gates this season. If a rival team were to make a run at either player, that suitor would be investing in upside rather than recent performance, meaning the Wolves may not be able to extract as much value as they’d like.

Poll: Should Wolves Trade Derrick Williams Now?

November 12th, 2013 at 7:04pm CST by Chuck Myron

One of the NBA’s most frequently mentioned trade candidates over the past couple of years appears to be on the block again. Team executives from around the league tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports that the Timberwolves are making Derrick Williams available in trade talks, as we passed along earlier today. The Wolves are also shopping Alexey Shved, according to the report, but Williams is the much more intriguing name.

The news comes just two and a half weeks after the Timberwolves committed to Williams through 2014/15, picking up the former No. 2 overall pick’s option for more than $6.3MM next season. That could make Williams either more difficult or easier to trade, depending on how rival clubs view him. Timberwolves president Flip Saunders and GM Milt Newton surely hope they can find a team that still believes in the potential that made Williams such a high draft selection and sees his $6.3MM+ salary next season as a potential bargain. The option pickup also allows Williams to remain on track for restricted free agency, furthering his value to a team that has faith in him.

Conversely, Williams no longer has value as an expiring deal, and teams that feel as though his career lows of 5.8 points and 2.0 rebounds in 17.3 minutes this season are more reflective of his worth than his draft status might not be willing to commit for two years. The Timberwolves appear ready to improve their roster now to demonstrate to potential 2015 free agent Kevin Love that they’re serious about winning, but that could be tough to accomplish with Williams off to such a slow start.

There are teams that see Williams as an intriguing buy-low candidate, as Grantland’s Zach Lowe reports. Of course, that would make Williams a “sell-low” proposition for the Wolves, so perhaps now isn’t the right time for a trade. Still, if Williams continues to languish on Minnesota’s bench and gets farther removed from his days as a promising college prospect, his value may only decrease.

Let us know if you think it’s time for the Wolves to pull the trigger on a Williams deal, and elaborate on your thoughts in the comments.

Wolves Pick Up Options On Rubio, Williams

October 26th, 2013 at 2:38pm CST by Chuck Myron

SATURDAY, 2:38pm: The team has officially announced, via Twitter, that it’s exercising the options on Rubio and Williams.

TUESDAY, 1:16pm: The Wolves will exercise their team option on Ricky Rubio for 2014/15, a source tells Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune, and it’s a move that comes as no surprise. The source also confirms that the team will exercise its option on Derrick Williams, as owner Glen Taylor told Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities last night. Rubio’s option adds another $5,070,686 to the team’s payroll for next season, as our rookie contract option tracker shows.

I listed Rubio among the “no brainers” last month when I examined rookie option decisions, and there was never any doubt that Minnesota would ensure team control over the former No. 5 overall pick through his fourth season. A trickier decision involving Rubio looms next offseason, when the Wolves must decide whether to grant him a lucrative extension.

Picking up the options on Rubio and Williams will push the team’s commitments for 2014/15 to $68,403,149, ensuring the Wolves will be well over the cap unless they can move some salary via trade. Once these option pickups become official, Minnesota will trail only the Nets for the most amount of guaranteed money on the books for 2014/15.

Wolves To Exercise Derrick Williams’ Option

October 21st, 2013 at 9:52pm CST by Zachary Links

The Wolves will exercise Derrick Williams‘ option for the 2014/15 season, owner Glen Taylor tells Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (Twitter link). Minnesota technically has until October 31st to trigger the option.

The former No. 2 overall pick in the 2011 draft struggled in his rookie year but took a step forward in 2012/13, averaging 12 PPG and 5.5 RPG in 24.6 minutes per contest. For his part, the 22-year-old has been confident that the option would be picked up. Now, it’s all but certain that Williams will earn $6.33MM in the fourth and final year of his rookie deal.

The Arizona product has been linked to trade talk seemingly since the day he was drafted, but president Flip Saunders put that talk to rest over the summer.

Odds & Ends: D-League, Celts, Collins

October 10th, 2013 at 7:17pm CST by Alex Lee

Yesterday, commissioner David Stern boasted of the job that the NBA has done in developing the D-League while also taking a shot at the NCAA, writes Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. “I’m very proud of the development league,” Stern said. “It’s working. That march is continuing. The drumbeats I hear about colleges not liking what they refer to one-and-done. We now have a league in the NBA Development League that will accept players that are 18 and will do a better job of educating them than the college programs in which they are…. Take that.”

Those are some big words from Stern. Let’s take a look at some of the other odds and ends from around the league:

There are a handful of 2011 and 2012 draftees that are candidates to have the second or third year options on their rookie contracts declined for next year before the looming October 31 deadline, writes Mark Deeks of SB Nation. Among the more notable names on the list are Jan Vesely and Derrick Williams.
According to his daughter, longtime Celtics coach Red Auerbach would not have given in and dealt Boston staples Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett this offseason, writes Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports. As Spears details, Auerbach’s intense loyalty was on display throughout his reign in Boston, allowing stars like Larry Bird and Kevin McHale to walk off into the sunset wearing Celtics green. Current C’s general manager Danny Ainge admitted that the memory of Auerbach’s resolve did cross his mind before he sold off his stars.
While his agent received several inquiries this offseason, Jason Collins remains a man without an NBA contract nearly six months after announcing he is a gay professional basketball player, writes Harvey Araton of the New York Times. Collins knows that his veteran status — and the contract demands that come with it — complicates his ability to land an NBA deal. What he doesn’t know, and wouldn’t comment on, is if any discriminatory forces are playing a role in his ongoing free agency. Either way, Collins will continue to explore an NBA deal before he considers playing overseas.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Northwest Notes: Robinson, Williams, Trail Blazers

October 2nd, 2013 at 9:01pm CST by Michael Pina

A few notes from around the Northwest Division.

Nuggets point guard Nate Robinson signed a two-year, $4.1MM contract this summer, with a player option in the second season. He wants a stable home, and is looking forward to picking up that option, unless, he says, Denver's management doesn't want him. Ultimately, the decision will be up to Robinson, writes the Denver Post's Christopher Dempsey.
1500ESPN.com's Darren Wolfson tweets a statement from Timberwolves forward Derrick Williams regarding his 2014/15 team option, saying "everyone would be a little shocked if it wasn't exercised."
OregonLive.com's Joe Freeman writes about the Trail Blazers' new roster depth, and how head coach Terry Stotts can now experiment with more versatile lineups.

Northwest Notes: Jazz, T-Wolves, Clibanoff

September 28th, 2013 at 9:53pm CST by Spencer Lund

Tyrone Corbin is entering his fourth year as the coach of the Jazz. We mentioned earlier ESPN Insider Amin Elhassan's belief Corbin is on the coaching hot seat this season, with front court nucleus Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson gone in free agency to the Hawks and Bobcats, respectively.

Bill Oram of the Salt Lake Tribune profiles Corbin as he enters the final year of his contract with the Jazz "where an extension is unlikely." Corbin will shepherd an inexperienced group unlikely to cause much of a ruckus in the tough Western Conference. His place as part of the rebuilding Jazz is murky, at best.

Here's what else is happening around the Northwest division on a jam-packed Saturday night as NBA training camps finally open…

The Deseret News' Jody Genessy details the 20 training camp Jazz invites, including Justin Holiday, the older brother (Twitter) of Pelicans point guard Jrue Holiday.
Justin Holiday, Genessy adds via Twitter, is one of 7 players who will be in Jazz camp with non-guaranteed deals, as well as the 13 players (Twitter) already with guaranteed deals.
Jerry Zgoda of the Star-Tribune details the five major issues facing the Timberwolves as they enter training camp. The primary issue is health with their nucleus of Nikola Pekovic, Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio, all missing time last season as the 'Wolves again failed to reach the playoffs.
Zgoda also goes through the uncertain contract status of power forward Derrick Williams. If the 'Wolves don't exercise their option paying him $6.33MM next season, the former No. 2 overall pick will become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
With the 'Wolves facing a lot of contract unknowns in the near future Williams place with them is uncertain.
The Timberwolves' Chase Budinger may miss 6-8 weeks as swelling and discomfort continue in the same left knee that sidelined him for all but five games last season, Zgoda reported earlier today. An MRI revealed, according to coach Flip Saunders, "a little something in there." The news comes fresh after Budinger re-signed with the 'Wolves for three years and $15MM this summer.
Anthony Slater of the Oklahoman asked Thunder players Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka what nicknames they'd put on their jerseys if the NBA allowed the practice.
Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski tweets that the Nuggets have hired Jim Clibanoff as Director of Scouting. Previously, Clibanoff ran a respected private scouting service.

Wolves Notes: Turiaf, Williams, Camp Roster

September 18th, 2013 at 4:58pm CST by Luke Adams

The Timberwolves held a press conference today to introduce offseason signee Ronny Turiaf to the media, and while no groundbreaking news emerged from the presser, Turiaf did express enthusiasm about joining a potential playoff team in Minnesota.

"I'm so excited about joining this team because of what they already are and what I can bring to the table," Turiaf said, according to Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press (link via the Star Tribune). "It's this kid excitement, this pureness about really wanting to accomplish something special."

Here's more out of Minnesota…

When GM Flip Saunders called him during July's free agent period, Turiaf felt like Minnesota was where he belonged, he told reporters today (Twitter link via Timberwolves PR).
Saunders was asked about the looming decision on Derrick Williams' $6.33MM fourth-year option, which is due by the end of October, and replied "I think he's going to be here," according to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (Twitter link).
Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune says that he doesn't think there's any real debate over whether the Wolves will pick up Williams' 2014/15 option, adding that Saunders seems to view it as a straightforward decision (Twitter links). Meanwhile, Wolfson suggests (via Twitter) that he thinks the team will exercise Williams' option, but eventually trade him.
The Wolves continue to talk to agents and could add at least one more player to their training camp roster, tweets Zgoda.

T-Wolves Owner On Williams, Roster, Muhammad

September 5th, 2013 at 9:24pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN points out that the Timberwolves will have until October 31st to decide on whether or not they'll exercise Derrick Williams' fourth-year option for 2014/15, in which he would be owed $6.3MM. In a phone conversation with team owner Glen Taylor, it appears that the front office is still undecided:

"We'll evaluate his summer program, and how he looks coming into camp (which starts Oct. 1)…I heard he is looking good."

Wolfson also mentions a point made by Grantland's Zach Lowe, who intimated that picking up Williams' option could potentially carry Minnesota over the luxury tax and prevent them from using their mid-level exception next summer. Here's more of Wolfson's latest in Minnesota via his conversation with Taylor:

It's unlikely that Flip Saunders will bring on a 15th guaranteed contract, meaning that Robbie Hummel, Othyus Jeffers, Lorenzo Brown, and an expected-to-be named big man will compete for the final spot in camp.
Rookies Shabazz Muhammad, Gorgui Dieng, and veteran Chris Johnson are expected to arrive in town on Monday for developmental work.
Taylor shared that he and Saunders received an apology letter from Muhammad after being dismissed from the league's rookie orientation program, adding that he sent a letter in reply:"I want to get to know him…I wrote to him about first impressions."
As far as renovations for the Target Center, Taylor had this to say: "We have a term sheet with the city. We've agreed to everything. They need to work out a term sheet with AEG (managers of Target Center)."

Wolfson’s Latest: Pekovic, Aldridge, Redick

August 4th, 2013 at 9:56am CST by Chuck Myron

Agent Jeff Schwartz's initial asking price for Nikola Pekovic was around $15MM per year, a source tells Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities, and Schwartz and the Timberwolves continue to haggle over the amount of money the restricted free agent center will get in his next contract. Schwartz knows he won't get $15MM a year from the team, Wolfson tweets. The Wolves are offering four years and $48MM, and though they're willing to add some incentives, it's "nearly ludicrous" to expect that they'll budge from the $12MM annual base salary, as Wolfson writes in his Scoops column. Wolfson has plenty more on Pekovic and other Timberwolves issues, so let's dive in:

It's possible that Pekovic could wind up with a fifth year in his deal, but it appears four years is more likely.
A trade that would send Pekovic and Derrick Williams to the Blazers for LaMarcus Aldridge is far-fetched. Minnesota would prefer Kevin Love instead, Wolfson tweets, but Love doesn't appear to be on the market. Schwartz represents Love as well as Pekovic.
J.J. Redick was five minutes away from heading to another team before talks revved up on the three-team trade that sent him to the Clippers, but that mystery team wasn't the Wolves. Redick met with Wolves brass and was prepared to sign with them, but talks never got that far.
Andrei Kirilenko's claim that Wolves president of basketball ops Flip Saunders didn't want to give him a long-term contract is incorrect, writes Wolfson, who hears from two people who say Minnesota offered a three-year, $21MM deal.
The Wolves have not invited Seth Curry to training camp, contrary to a report.
Lorenzo Brown, Robbie Hummel, Othyus Jeffers and another big man figure to be the contenders for the 15th spot on the Timberwolves opening-night roster.