Blount to be Kept For Trade Deadline

Jerry Zgoda put out a blog yesterday that mentioned the Mark Blount will not be bought out. I repeat. Mark Blount will NOT be bought out.

As scary as that statement looks, it really isn’t a bad situation. In fact, it’s a great situation. David Kahn has stated that keeping Blount is purely for trading flexibility, and that Blount will still stay in Miami for the remainder of his time with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

What this means is that Blount’s $8 million contract will be flaunted around come the trade deadline. A large expiring contract is something many teams have searched relentlessly for towards the trade deadline in years past (remember the Pau Gasol trade?). With the Wolves having so much payroll flexibility this offseason, they have all the requirements to land a marquee player from a desperate team in a financial crisis.

The reason Blount refused to agree to a buyout with the Wolves was most likely that he is in the last year of his last contract. He is not in a situation like Antonio Daniels (bought out last week) where he could sign another contract this season and receive significant minutes while making up the monetary difference from his new team. No, Blount can not do that. His days as an barely effective post player are over, and he will most likely retire after this season.

So, Wolves fans, there is no need to fret over your favorite team keeping one of the most frustrating players to ever don a Wolves jersey. It is just another setup for a brighter future.