Minnesota Timberwolves Newest Free Agent Signings

July 1st, 2010, The big day is here. With all the swirling talk surrounding this day, the NBA free agency period begins. All the name dropping, major dollar dropping, and promises of that title dream coming true are finally here! It has become a media sensation with all the HUGE name superstars that are available to the highest bidder. Some of the teams who are struggling to find a win here and there can easily fall by the wayside with one wrong turn.

Minneapolis, MN. The Timberwolves had worked their way down to having $13 million in salary cap space to sign one of those big name free agents. They did this by using past transaction to acquire players with expiring contracts. These players contracts are now up, their services are no longer needed, and now the Wolves have the money and roster space to sign some new talent. With all the big names out there it shouldn't be hard to land one of these players. But wait, if you sign a player who admittedly wants to return to the international game after having a disappointing experience in the NBA after so much promise in the beginning. You will no longer have the cash or the space to sign that new talent. I am talking of course about the signing of Darko Milicic by the Minnesota Timberwolves on July 1st, 2010. The Wolves signed Milicic to a 4 year $20 million contract. After being selected 2nd overall in the 2003 draft behind only LeBron James and ahead of some of the HUGE names I was referring to earlier such as Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh among others. Milicic has gone on to play with 5 different NBA teams and amassed a whopping career average of 5.6 ppg and 4.1 rpg.

The Minnesota Timberwolves also reached an agreement on this day with 2008 2nd round draft pick Nikola Pekovic. Pekovic is a 6'11" 265lbs center. They signed him to a 4 year $13 million contract. Pekovic does show NBA potential and could become a good roll player and have a long NBA career. But, in this market of big name players that will make an immediate impact with whichever franchise they decide to play for, does it seem prudent to sign some risky unproven players? With these two latest signings the Timberwolves now have less then $5 million in salary cap space. This is not enough to sign one of the players that would turn this struggling franchise around. The outcome of these contracts means the Wolves' only option to getting one of these big name players is to do a sign and trade deal. We will use Rudy Gay as an example of this since he was rumored to be one of the players the Wolves were interested in. Since today the Memphis Grizzlies offered Rudy Gay a 5 year contract estimated to be worth around $80 million, if Gay signs this deal, the Wolves would have to trade one or more players or cash that adds up to $16 million per year. This leaves Al Jefferson. Jefferson is the only player on the Timberwolves roster who has put up anywhere near all-star numbers since Garnett left. Now hes the only player left on the roster to be rumored in trade talks to land one of these "franchise" players.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have successfully landed a couple more risky players on their roster. Now I'm not saying these players can't go on to be very successful NBA players, but a lot of things would have to go right for them if that were to happen. I just can't seem to figure out why you wouldn't let Darko go on his way, sign Pekovic to a much smaller deal, say one that an untested second round draft choice should get, like a 3 year $6-$8 million contract, or let him walk too if he doesn't want it. If Pekovic signs that deal then you still have over $10 million in cap space to work with to sign someone like David Lee or Travis Outlaw without trading any of your already established players. That is all moot now that the deals are signed. Now the Wolves' options have gotten much smaller and turning this franchise around in the near future seems less likely but time will tell.