Not only did the Timberwolves get a first-round draft pick from the Philadelphia 76ers for Rodney Carney and Calvin Booth, but Philadelphia also will pick up almost all of Carney's and Booth's salaries for next season, which total nearly $3 million. The Wolves will pay $500,000 of Carney's $1.65 million paycheck. The first-rounder is one Philadelphia acquired in a trade with Utah for Kyle Korver last year. The Wolves will get the pick if the Jazz pick lower than 22nd in 2009, 17th in 2010, 15th in 2011, 16th in 2012 or 16th in 2013. Minnesota also gets an athletic former first-round pick in Carney, who can get out and run with a young team that wants to play an up-tempo style.
Next year the Wolves could have three first-round picks and two second-round picks. If the Wolves miss the playoffs, they keep their own first-round pick rather than sending it to the Los Angeles Clippers. They also have Boston's first-round pick, obtained in the Kevin Garnett trade, and Miami's No. 1, obtained in the Ricky Davis trade. The second-round picks obtained in the Kevin Love-O.J. Mayo deal are expected to be those of Philadelphia and Indiana. The Pistons will get the Wolves' second-round pick.
On draft day, the Wolves also got rid of Marko Jaric and forwards Greg Buckner and Antoine Walker, unloadeding $20.05 million in salary, including $21.2 million over the next three years for Jaric's contract. The trades continue to help the Timberwolves position themselves as major players in the free-agent market in the near future. At this time a year ago, the Wolves were saddled with bad contracts on a poorly assembled team that had missed the playoffs for two consecutive years. Now the Wolves are expected to have nearly $6 million to spend on a free agent or two this summer, and at least $18 million by next summer.
No comments:
Post a Comment