Olowokandi to sign with the Timberwolves

[Tony tha Mavs fan]

I just sawon ESPN that Mark Stein reports that the Minnesota TimberWolves are going to sign Olowokandi for the MID- LEVEL EXCEPTION.





If the Mavs were tryin to get this guy in dallas , WTF was Cuban doing? Why couldn't he convince Kandi to take the exception with a team who was in the Western Conference Finals last year?

[Tony tha Mavs fan]

With Nesterovic on way out, Olowokandi stepping in

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ESPN.com news services


Los Angeles Clippers free-agent center Michael Olowokandi agreed Tuesday night to join the Minnesota Timberwolves for the NBA's $4.9 mid-level exception, accepting a three-year deal worth $16.2 million, ESPN.com's Marc Stein reports.

Olowokandi effectively replaces Rasho Nesterovic as the Wolves' center and leaves the Clippers without compensation for the club that made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 1998 draft. ESPN.com reported Tuesday morning that Nesterovic had agreed to leave Minnesota for San Antonio, for a six-year deal worth $42 million.

Wednesday is the first day teams can sign free agents to contracts.

Getting Olowkandi as a fallback after the Nesterovic news is a significant save for the Wolves, who also missed out on free-agent power forward Juwan Howard when Howard elected to commit Monday to the Orlando Magic. Getting Olowokandi at that price -- the most over-the-cap money Minnesota could offer -- will come as a significant blow to size-starved teams such as the New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks, both struggling to land an impact big man with no more than the $4.9 million exception to offer.

Olowokandi was in Los Angeles on Tuesday with his agent, Bill Duffy, in an attempt to facilitate a sign-and-trade deal with the Clippers -- with Memphis president Jerry West among the most eager suitors, searching for a more physical 7-footer to play alongside Pau Gasol. While also still hoping for a more lucrative deal with Denver, Olowokandi was instead swayed to enter into a frontcourt partnership with Kevin Garnett, after Wolves owner Glen Taylor, general manager Kevin McHale and coach Flip Saunders flew to L.A. to lobby him.

"In my opinion, Michael Olowokandi is one of the best back-to-basket players in the NBA, and at this point in his career it's imperative to get him the best individual instruction possible," Duffy said. "In my opinion, there is no better teacher than Kevin McHale to provide that instruction.

"Michael's priority right now is to get better and reach his potential, and he wanted to go to a winning situation. We think the combination of Kevin Garnett and Michael Olowokandi will be one of the most formidable front lines in basketball."

Wolves officials could not be reached for comment.

[Tony tha Mavs fan]

i didn't see the 10 other posts at the same time, my fault on this thread.