Official Minnesota Timberwolves 2012 Off-Season Thread ... Andrei Kirilenko signed for 2 years/20 mi

[cheese wagstaff]

Here are two photos that for whatever reason made me chuckle.

 

[hood17]

Originally Posted by Cheese Wagstaff

Here are two photos that for whatever reason made me chuckle.

That's like six blocks from where I live. I saw Beasley in that same area last season after the Hornets game.

 

[651akathepaul]

Silly point guards.

 

[651akathepaul]

It's so nice to see the progress Williams has made from the beginning of the season. He drives to the hoop much more often now instead of just camping out at the 3-pt line. His creativity around the basket is finally starting to show at this level.

 

[651akathepaul]

This game is so frustrating to watch.

 

[hood17]

These remaining games will be interesting. I don't know if they can actually make it. Too many guys injured. 

 

[nikekid6]

Originally Posted by lildisciple111

yooo them shorts

how much they run ?
i hope beas can play like we all know he can, he zones out to much. im pullin for him though and the wolves

homie plays for the wolves

 

[kix4kix]

http://www.grantland.com/...o-minnesota-timberwolves

 

[jpzx]

by Dana Wessel

With the season winding down and no playoff hopes, players begin to cast their gaze towards an offseason that will see plenty of roster turnover for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Michael Beasley's future in particular has been the topic of much debate as the final days of his original rookie contract pass by. The Wolves have an $8.2 million qualifying offer that is a high price tag for a player who has been a disappointment since being drafted second overall in 2008.

But Beasley made no secret on Saturday that he hopes to be back to the franchise that traded for him after the Miami Heat essentially gave up on him after two seasons, shipping him to Minnesota for two second-round picks.

"Like I've said before many times, I would love to comeback and be a Timberwolf," Beasley said. "I love it here."

Beasley's season has once again been hampered by injuries. He has played in only 42 of the 62 games this season and is averaging 11.2 points per game, down from 19.2 a season ago. Beasley lost his starting spot after spraining his foot early in the season and has come off the bench in his last 33 appearances.

He has taken the demotion of sorts in stride and continues to say the right things but does admit to frustration by the inconsistent minutes.

"My situation is a little different than others," Beasley said. "Of course, it is frustrating, but I am here for the team. I am not here for myself. I am only one person. I am here for the team. As long as we progress and go forward as a team, I am happy.

"But as far as me and the summer time, where I want to play, if I am going to return, I am just going to let everything play itself out."

The theme of Beasley's inconsistent two years in Minnesota has been injuries. He suffered a sprained ankle at the turn of the calendar that held him out of nine games. Anxious to get back on the court, Beasley never really allowed the injury to fully heal, making him ineffective and slowing any momentum he gained from a positive first two months of the season.

Beasley admits he can't help but think about where he might be if it weren't for the two injuries that hampered the past two seasons. But for now, he said he's just focusing on finishing this season strong and letting the summer play out however it plays out.

Wolves coach Rick Adelman said he has been specifically monitoring guys such as Beasley and Anthony Randolph and there is plenty of time left to leave an impression on him heading into the offseason.

"I would be lying if I said I didn't think about (my future). Everybody has been talking about it," Beasley said. "I just go day-by-day. It is not going to change everything I do in the summer. Still going to work out, work on my game, come back with something new."


We'll decline the option of course, but if he were willing to embrace the sixth-man role taking a big paycut, I'd be fine with him coming back. However, I've heard some bad stories about him from Photographer Cono/Cheese so I have some worries about keeping him around.

 

[651akathepaul]

I'd love to keep Beasley. He could really fill a useful role on a Championship team.

 

[RyGuy45]

We've dropped to 10th-worst record 

  So much for screwin the Hornets draft pick

Wes Johnson

Derrick Williams

DWill averaging 10 PPG on .369% shooting since Rubio went down, bottom line this dude's rookie season was beyond a disappointment. That's okay but the run on lottery picks with this team is atrocious even with Love and Rubio factored in. It's time for Williams to live in the gym and weightroom this offseason.

Four more games...

 

[Deleted member 38182]

Couldn't find the Vikings thread, but figured this would be relevant to you all.......

as much as I would love a football team I don't wanna see the Vikes move

Culpepper to Moss got me big into football when I was a little bit younger, heck I was still into the Vikes thru out HS during the dark times when they were led with Brad Johnson, Chester Taylor, and Troy Williamson, Marcus Robinson, Travis Taylor

 
With the Kings possibly about to hit relocation soon, I don't wanna see no more of this to undeserving teams.... if it was the Clips or the Jags or the Hornets or some bs team I'd be all for it but not you guys.

Pardon the %+@! cut and paste job


[h1]

[h1]Committee rejects Vikes stadium bill[/h1]

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- A Minnesota House committee voted down the Vikings stadium bill on Monday night, dealing a major blow to the team's decade-long effort to secure a taxpayer subsidy for a replacement to the Metrodome.

The House Government Operations Committee mustered only six votes for the stadium proposal, with nine members voting against it. The vote, which followed a four-hour hearing on the bill, makes it extremely unlikely the bill could be revived in the remaining weeks of a legislative session expected to wrap up before the end of April.

"Somebody's going to have to pull a rabbit out of a hat for this thing to be alive at this point," said Rep. Morrie Lanning, the chief House sponsor of the $975 million stadium plan. A Senate version of the stadium bill has been stalled in that chamber for the past month.

Lester Bagley, the Vikings' point man on the stadium push at the Capitol, said afterward the team was "extremely disappointed" at the outcome. "I guess I would ask the state, what else would you expect us to do? What else can we do?" he said.

Gov. Mark Dayton has been a committed and vocal supporter of the stadium proposal, repeatedly stressing he believes failure to help the team build a new stadium could result in Minnesota losing the Vikings to another city.

"I've done everything I can think of to persuade people and will continue to do so," Dayton, a Democrat, said Tuesday. "If we don't get it this session, we'll get it next session. Sometimes the difficult takes a while, the impossible takes a little longer."

"We have to get a stadium next year or the Vikings will leave," he said. "It's just as clear as that. We can't have it both ways. We can't not do a new stadium and have the Vikings remain here very long."

Bagley said the team would continue to push the proposal as long as the Legislature remains in session.

"But this is extremely disappointing, and it sends a strong message to the Vikings and the NFL about the situation," he said.

He would not say whether the committee vote made the team's future in Minnesota any less secure.

The proposal that fell in the House committee would have split the tab three ways for a stadium proposed to be built at the current Metrodome site in downtown Minneapolis: $398 million from the state from taxes on expanded gambling, $150 million from the city of Minneapolis from existing sales taxes and $427 million from the Vikings with assistance likely from the NFL.

Prior to the vote, Vikings officials faced tough questioning from several committee members who said they weren't convinced the proposal is a good deal for taxpayers.

"How do we as representatives of public taxpayers, how do we know we're getting a good deal?" asked Rep. Ryan Winkler, DFL-Golden Valley. Winkler went on to vote against the proposal. Rep. Bev Scalze, DFL-Little Canada, questioned whether a football stadium was a defensible use for $398 million in proposed new tax revenue when the state is just starting to recover from several years of persistent budget deficits.

Rep. Dean Urdahl, R-Grove City, raised a question frequently heard from stadium bill critics as the team's bid has dominated headlines: "Why should we help a billionaire build a stadium he can afford to build himself?" he asked, referencing Vikings owner Zygi Wilf.

Urdahl ultimately voted to keep the bill alive, one of five Republicans on the committee to support it along with one Democrat. Of the nine no votes, five came from Democrats and four were Republicans.

Leading up to the vote, Bagley had reiterated the view of the team's owners that the Metrodome is no longer sufficiently profitable compared with other NFL venues. While the team is committed to play in the Metrodome for the 2012 football season, it no longer has an active lease in the 30-year-old facility, and team officials have said they do not intend to sign one.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

[/h1]

 

[ohyeah10]

Twolves hype kind of died after Rubio got injured. These last couple games have been hard to watch

 

[jpzx]

Originally Posted by OHyeah10

Twolves hype kind of died after Rubio got injured. These last couple games have been hard to watch

Kind of?

We didn't even go out with a whimper.

Glad there's only one more game left. Ready to have this season end, to hopefully grab Utah's draft pick, and scour free agency for a legitimate wing.

 

[hood17]

JPZx wrote:

---

I'll just change the title of the season thread to off-season thread, HOOD. Then when the season comes around I'll make a new one.








I'll bump this then. This thread has been buried for quite a while

 

[jpzx]

[h1][/h1]

[h1]Timberwolves trade 18th pick to Houston for swingman Chase Budinger
[/h1]
By Associated Press, Published: June 26

[h3][/h3]

[article=""]
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Timberwolves were in the market for a capable perimeter shooter, ideally a veteran with experience in coach Rick Adelman’s system to help balance a frontcourt-heavy roster. The Houston Rockets could be looking for something much, much bigger.

The teams made a move to address both needs on Tuesday, just two days before the NBA draft: The Timberwolves acquired swingman Chase Budinger from the Rockets in exchange for the 18th overall pick in the draft.
[/article]

Houston went 34-32 last season and missed the playoffs for the third straight year. The Rockets now have the 14th, 16th and 18th selections in a draft that many scouts think is one of the deeper classes in years, a load of ammunition that could help them make a play for one of the stars who could be available, including Orlando center Dwight Howard or Atlanta forward Josh Smith.

It’s the second straight offseason the Rockets figure to be very active in trying to add some size and skill to their frontcourt. Last year they had a deal in place that would have landed them Lakers big man Pau Gasol, but NBA Commissioner David Stern, acting on behalf of the league-owned New Orleans Hornets, nixed the trade, which would have sent Chris Paul to the Lakers.

Rockets general manager Daryl Morey is once again making a serious push in search of a blockbuster deal to push them back into contender status in the Western Conference.

The Timberwolves see themselves as a team on the rise behind Adelman, point guard Ricky Rubio and power forward Kevin Love. The Wolves faded late last season after Rubio went down with a knee injury, exposing the roster as one with too many point guards, power forwards and centers, and not enough playmakers and shooters on the wings.

Michael Beasley struggled with injuries and inconsistency, Wes Johnson couldn’t find his shooting stroke and Martell Webster never got fully into the groove after preseason back surgery.

Budinger should help. He averaged 9.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and shot 40.2 percent from 3-point range in his third season with the Rockets. The former second-round pick out of Arizona played his first two seasons under Adelman in Houston, so he has familiarity in the coach’s corner offense and has demonstrated the ability to knock down open jump shots.

“Chase knows Rick Adelman’s system well after playing for him in Houston, and he will be a good fit on our team,

 

[kix4kix]

I don't see a better player at 18, however, I feel we could have bundled the 18 with something else to either get a higher pick, or more depth in the front court. Still think we make a trade tonight

 

[651akathepaul]

That's kind of what I was think. I'm not upset with getting Chase, as I think he can be an integral role player on a playoff team. I just was hoping they would move up in the draft to get their SG rather than rely on free agency. We'll see what happens though. I trust Kahn.

 

[hood17]

Can anyone defend why bringing in Pau is good? Salary

and have no clue if that can compete in the west: Rubio, Love, Pau......If they can get Crawford or someone with some scoring ability I'll back off. But I see no reason in bringing him in. 

 

[651akathepaul]

Kahn just trying to keep his job. It may provide them that push they need to lock down the 7th or 8th seed, but after that...Then what? Pau isn't gonna be at this level he's at now for much longer.

 

[kix4kix]

I like the pau move, instantly fills our need at front court depth, and instantly makes us a playoff team. Only two years left on the contract as well.

I think we are a top 5 team with the addition (in the west)

 

[hood17]

$45-50 Mil for Batum?

 

[651akathepaul]

That is a hefty contract, but Batum is still very young and has a lot of upside.  I would love this signing.

 

[651akathepaul]

From a Star Tribune article:

The Wolves already have pursued Crawford twice since December and could come calling again.

"I don't see why I wouldn't be interested in playing there," Crawford said. "I think my agent has been in contact with them. I haven't had a chance to talk to them. If they have interest in me, then I have interest in them.

"It was so rushed last year," he said about negotiations with the Wolves after the lockout ended in late November, "but the warm feelings sare still here, at least from my end. I've always been a big fan of Coach Adelman and Coach Sikma and I think David Kahnis doing some real good things as well."

For the full article: http://www.startribune.com/sports/blogs/160981505.html




Also mentions them making plays for Jordan Hill, BRoy, and Stiemsma.

 

[RyGuy45]

Can anyone defend why bringing in Pau is good? Salary

and have no clue if that can compete in the west: Rubio, Love, Pau......If they can get Crawford or someone with some scoring ability I'll back off. But I see no reason in bringing him in.

As a buddy of mine said this weekend, Kahn wants to become the whitest team in the league

  Let's see here let's pretend they did end up with Gasol...

Gasol
Budinger
Pek
Darko
Barea
Love
Rubio
Ridnour

And if he makes the team....Robbie Hummel.


More:

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team will not extended qualifying offers to forwards Michael Beasley and Anthony Randolph. With Minnesota not extending qualifying offers to Beasley and Randolph by today’s deadline, both players will become unrestricted free agents on July 1. 

The move frees up just over $12 million in salary for next season

AP:

The Minnesota Timberwolves are trying hard to land Pau Gasol. If they have to part with the highest draft choice in franchise history after just one season, the Wolves appear ready to do it. That much became clear leading up to the NBA draft on Thursday night, when Minnesota offered Derrick Williams in hopes of landing the second pick from the Charlotte Bobcats to help get Gasol from the Los Angeles Lakers, two people with knowledge of the discussions told The Associated Press.

1500ESPN:

Hill, Stiemsma set to make visits to Timberwolves

The Minnesota Timberwolves didn't waste any time setting up visits as the NBA's free agency period got underway.

Forward Jordan Hill will visit with the Timberwolves on Monday, according to a report by Yahoo! Sports, and the Twitter feed from the agent of Greg Stiemsma reported the center also is set to make a visit in Minnesota. Stiemsma is a restricted free agent.

While teams talk a lot, especially when together -- as president of basketball operations David Kahn was at the Minnesota draft workout, the Brooklyn draft workout and in Chicago at the Combine -- he has planted lots of seeds. They have talked to the Lakers about Pau Gasol, Philadelphia about Andre Iguodala, Houston about Kevin Martin and Memphis about Rudy Gay. That being said, nothing is close as of now to being done.

The Draft Express report is dead-on: the Wolves did offer Derrick Williams to Charlotte for the No. 2 pick, but were quickly turned down. The target (was) Florida shooting guard Bradley Beal.

The Wolves are actually getting more calls for Williams than they are making. When presented with this inquiry -- Yes or no: Williams will be on the team at the start of next season? -- the source said, "On the team."


StarTribune:

- The Wolves also have talked with the agents of unrestricted free-agent guards Willie Green and Jamal Crawford.

- The Wolves also reached agreements with Brad Miller and Martell Webster to extend in July the deadline to pick up their team options for next season.

Yes, Miller says he's retiring -- although his agent Saturday said that's not completely definite -- but his contract isn't retired thanks to the NBA's confounding salary-cap rules.

Getting those extensions gives the Wolves more time to work for a trade -- Pau Gasol, anyone? -- in which they could include those salary-cap friendly contracts for a team looking to ease its luxury-tax penalties.

Webster's contract calls for about a $600,000 buyout if his $5.7 million salary for next season isn't picked up.


SBNation:

Their PR department on twitter (appropriately named @Twolves_PR) tweeted on Wednesday that the Wolves have created the NBA's first ever social media hub specifically for Timberwolves fans, called Wolves Nation.

According to the PR twitter, the site allows Wolves fans to hook up with it via Facebook or Twitter -- you can also create your own account for the site itself -- and there are prizes to be won 'simply by being a fan'. Everyone likes prizes!