The Miami Heat now have only have one player on their official roster – Mario Chalmbers.  The Heat send Michael Beasley to your very own Wolves for a 2011 2nd round pick.   The teams will also swap first round picks – details to come.

There is nothing I don’t like about this trade.  Why?  Knowing David Kahn, the Wolves would have probably traded that pick and what are the chances you get a 14 ppg and 5.9 rpg player in the second round – or even the first.  The only issue with Beasley is how he is very similar to Kevin Love and Al Jefferson in the fact that his strength is offense and needs to improve on defense.

In his first two seasons, Beasley averaged 14.3 ppg, 5.9 rpg, shot 79% from the foul-line, and 46% from the floor.  Beasley also comes with a good deal of baggage.  Have gone to rehab for a drinking problem and his mental state has been questioned since college.

Here is ESPN’s John Hollinger’s take on Beasley:

Offensively, he’s already one of the best scorers in the league and could be absolutely devastating in a few years. He has a nice two-pronged combo of a strong jump shot from the elbow and a swooping move to his left across the basket area that ends with a short lefty bank shot. He handles the ball well for his size and has range out to the 3-point line. (He made 40.7 percent.) Moreover, he has a great first step and should be able to get layups off show-and-go moves. A left-hander, Beasley goes left nearly every time and thus is much more effective from the right elbow.

Beasley’s contract is$4.96M this season and $6.3M next season.

For the second – maybe third or fourth – the Wolves has lost out on a free agent they didn’t really need in the first place.  First it was Rudy Gay resigning with the Grizzles, and now it appears David Lee will be heading even further west to play with Golden State in a sign-and-trade deal with the Knicks.

Punctuation side-note: I am never sure when and how to use the hyphen in the phrase “sign and trade”.

The rumor has appeared on the usual sites, but here is the post from CSNBayArea.com’s Matt Steinmetz.

The Warriors and Knicks have agreed in principle to a sign-and-trade deal that would send power forward David Lee to Golden State for Anthony Randolph, Ronny Turiaf and Kelenna Azubuike, multiple sources confirmed on Thursday.

I am sure you noticed that Anthony Randolph, another player the Wolves has targeted in trade speculation, is involved with this trade.  While David Lee was not high on my “this guy would change the Wolves” list, he has name recognition and is a double-double player.

But according ESPN’s Chad Ford, the deal is far from done and Lee’s agent is Mark Bartelstein is down-playing the report.

“There are a million things going on right now,” Bartelstein said. “We are still talking to five different teams about different scenarios. David hasn’t made up his mind and nothing has been agreed to. I’m not sure where all of this stuff is coming from.”

Lee had been tied to Golden State since free agency started, but I am surprised by what the Warriors are giving up.  Randolph is a player the Warriors have put a lot of stock in, but what has he done?  Nothing.  Expect dropping 40 points in a summer league game.  Turiaf is an energy with six fouls, and Azubuike had a good season in 08-09.

In Lee, the Warriors get a player the fits the style of offense over everything else, and the Knicks get a young player, Randolph, who still has the potential to be very good and Azubuike’s $3.3M contract comes off the books after this season and Turiaf’s $4.1 the following season.

We are not hours away from the beginning of the actual signing period, here are a couple thoughts on one of the many signings that will take place – there will be more “thoughts” to come.  But let’s start with Carlos Boozer‘s journey back the Central Division in the Eastern Conference for five years and about $80M.

Why This Work For The Bulls? Boozer gives the Bulls a legit second scorer and now Luol Deng becomes a very-legit third scorer.

Boozer also gives the Bulls a true threat in pick and roll situations.  Last season, they ran the pick and roll with Noah, and defenders would back off and let him shot.  But with Boozer, teams will respect his jump shot and Rose will not be double as much – or as quickly – after the screen.  It also allows Noah to and Deng to cut to the whole for easy buckets and rebounds while teams focus on Rose breaking down his defender.

Last season Noah averaged 11 rebounds a game, Taj Gibson and Deng averaged 7.9 and 7.3 rpg, and Boozer has averaged 10.2 his entire career.  The Bulls are going to be one of the better rebounding teams.

Why This Works For Boozer? Easy shots.  Plan and simple.  Boozer is must effective in the pick and roll – more like the pick and pop.  Boozer is a career 54% shooter and has the most beautiful high-arching jump shot in the league.  Boozer will have plenty of options.  Pop, roll, slip, wait and dive.

Rose is similar to Deron Williams.  They are both good in the open court, typically are strong than the opposing point guard and can break a player one-on-one.

The difference lays in Williams’ saavy and Roses’ athletic ability.

Like Williams, defenders fear Rose and even when their defender plays it right, both point guards can still find a make-able shot.

Another reason this works for Boozer, Noah will guard the opposing teams best big man.

In Utah, the Jazz started Memhet Okur at center, and he has never been called a “defensive stopper”.  Noah will allow Boozer to guard the power forward and not the center.

Another reason this works for Boozer – 5-years and $80M.  Boozer is 28 years-old and this contract will cover him through the remainder of his “prime” and then into retirement – possibly.  Either way, it is last chance for big money and playing in Chicago with Noah will ease his work load and possible extend his career.

Whats Left For The Bulls? Filling out the roster.  The Bulls currently have less then half a roster and need to find the correct pieces to make the Boozer signing worth while.  A player like JJ Redick would get plenty of open looks from distance and Redick has improved every season.  The Bulls could also go for a more defensive player like Boston’s Tony Allen.  Or sign both.

Starting Line-Up

• PG: Rose
• SG: Redick
• SF: Deng
• PF: Boozer
• C: Noah

Bench

• Gibson
• James Johnson
• Allen
• Back-Up PG

And yes, I realize there are three Duke players in the starting line-up – just deal with it.  The Bulls will have their middle-level exception and other cap space to complete their roster, but their top four are comparable to any playoff contender.

The roster is from Timberwolves.com and includes to local players in Westbrook and Damian Johnson who will compete to make take the final roster spots.

Jamar Smith once played at Illonois before transferring to Southern Indiana and has found success.  Smith has even named Basketball Times NCAA Division II Player of the Year.  He averaged 21.6 ppg and 4.1 rpg last season.

Mo Charlo played college at Nevada, and he played with the Reno Bighorns and had 9.8 ppg and 5.3 rpg last season.

Monday July 12
vs. San Antonio COX Pavilion 5:30 PM Central

Wednesday July 14
vs. Sacramento COX Pavilion 9:00 PM Central

Friday July 16
vs. Memphis COX Pavilion 9:00 PM Central

Saturday July 17
vs. Portland COX Pavilion 9:00 PM Central

Sunday July 18
vs. Atlanta Thomas & Mack 5:30 PM Central

Rumors are rumors, but this one is very interesting and how the Wolves are very David-Lee-happy at the moment, and their willingness to trade Al Jefferson, this sounds like a legit possibility.  Here is the rumor as reported in the Nerw York Post;

There’s been rumors of a three-way trade talk between Golden State, Minnesota and the Knicks where Lee winds up with the Timberwolves, Monta Ellis comes to the Knicks and Al Jefferson goes to Golden State. Lee visited Minnesota [Saturday] and it has only $7 million in cap room, meaning he’d want a sign-and-trade.

I have not heard this outside of this New York Post article and then it reported again on ESPN.com.

The Wolves have been shopping Jefferson around the league, but this is the first trade with actual names involved.

After Rudy Gay decided to remain a Grizzle, the Wolves turned their full attention to Knicks power forward, David Lee.  Lee was in Minneapolis yesterday and he visited the facilities and talked with David Kahn.

This was from the Timberwolves official Twitter feed:

David Lee in Twin Cities today – will take a tour of Target Center facilities, Lake District, & Twins GM #Twolves

I was at the Twins last night, I did not see David Lee.  We did get to see Jim Thome tie and then pass Twins great Harmon Killebrew for 10th place on the All-Time career home run list, with two home runs yesterday.

Back to David Lee, this is from the AP:

Mark Bartelstein said his client “had a great visit” and was “really impressed” by the pitch put on by team president David Kahn, coach Kurt Rambis and the rest of the Timberwolves.

“You have to give David Kahn and Kurt a tremendous amount of credit,” Bartelstein said. “They had an impressive proposal and really showed a lot of enthusiasm.”

Lee spent about nine hours in the Twin Cities, catching some of the Rays-Twins game with Kahn and Rambis before grabbing an evening flight home and Bartelstein said the two would talk things over. He declined to say if the Timberwolves made an offer.

The Wolves are shopping Al Jefferson around, but I am not sure why they are looking to sign another player who is strong on offense, but weak on defense.  My personal feeling is that Lee and Kevin Love are very similar in game, strengths and weaknesses.  Not sure we need to add more to the pile or goodness.

Lee is a good player and bring some excitement, but I do not want to over sign him.  But then again, the Wolves just signed Darko to a four year $20M deal.

There are free agents out there, but what do the Wolves really need?  The Wolves have addressed the shooting and a shooting guard over 6′4″ with Wes Johnson and Martell Webster.  But they need to address defense, specifically in the post.  The sixth man concern can should come from within.

Could you call it a one-night stand?

Or longing lusting after a hot girl from across the dance floor and you want to ask to dance, but your best move is bobbing up and down, pointing at other people while biting your lip.

It was probably more like speed dating where you spend ten minutes talking with a person, use all of your “good lines”, make all the sexy-faces and talking about the important things like; the movie “Hot Tub Time Machine”, Donald Trumps hair, why Seth Rogen is popular, and the United States’ position in the greater international community.

Well, whatever you call it – it is over.  Minnesota’s smooth talking lasted only minutes, maybe hours, but either way, Gay will stay in Memphis.

Here is the write-up from YahooSport’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Rudy Gay has agreed to a five-year, $81.6 million contract with the Memphis Grizzlies, his representatives at Octagon confirmed to Y! Sports.

The fifth and final year of the contract will be at Gay’s option.

“We have a verbal agreement on a deal,” said Gay’s agent, Jeff Austin.

The Grizzlies had the right to match any offer made to Gay because he’s a restricted free agent. But by reaching agreement quickly, they prevented another suitor – like the New Jersey Nets – from front-loading a contract offer with a signing bonus that could have necessitated a first-year payment of $20 million.

Thank you Memphis for paying full price so the Wolves would not.  While Gay is a very talented, but he is not a max-contract player.  At best, he should be your second or third best player, but not your number one.  Even in Memphis, OJ Mayo will get the last second shots.  Not Gay.

Gay is a very good player to have on your roster, but not for an average of around $16M a year.

The hour is coming when the whole world will change.

Maybe not – but that’s what is seems like.  Once 12:00am EST hit tonight – or morning, the NBA world apartment will evetually tilt East and the rest of the league will hold on for dear life.

With LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh apparently all signing in Miami, Chicago, New York, and New Jersey – there seems like there is way to get a feel for what is really going.

And honestly, nothing those three plus Joe Johnson, Dirk, Boozer, and Amare do will affect Minnesota.  As much as we would like to think that is possible to sign any of those seven players, it just isn’t possible.

According to this ESPN TrueHoop post, the Wolves have $13.44M to sign players.

Rudy Gay is a name that has been connected to the Wolves as a player they are targeting and it has been reported, be ESPN’s Marc Stein, that David Kahn reached out to Gay to come and visit Minnesota.

Now Gay on paper looks like a player that fits with the Wolves.  He is 23years-old, 6′8″, athletic, a scorer (19.6 ppg), but an average shooter.  Gay shoots 47% from the floor, 33% from deep, 75% from the foul-line, but did grab 5.9 rebounds a game last season.

Coming out of the draft with the No. 4 pick, with a chance to draft Demarcus Cousins, and the Wolves picked Wes Johnson.  Now Kahn gets ripped for “dumb” moves, but this would be a tough pill to swallow if he signs Gay and moves Johnson to the bench.  The other option may be a sign and trade, but that still drives me nuts.  Why not draft Cousins?

But pairing Gay with Martell Webster would be a scoring nice duo and because Gay is not the greatest distance-shooter, he wouldn’t be taking shots away from Webster.

Signing Gay would create even more excitement going into next season and the team would sell more tickets – period.  He is a recognizable name, please void the obvious joke – but he is a dynamic athlete and who can make some spectacular plays.

I also have heard David Lee as another that Kahn is targeting.  Lee, is a power forward that is a good scorer, grabs double-digit rebounds.  Lee shots well but lacks on the defensive end.  Where have we seen that before?

Wolves Sign Nikola Pekovic

It has been reported that Pekovic signed a 3 year, $13 million deal with the Wolves.

Here is the write from ESPN.com

The Minnesota Timberwolves reached a verbal agreement on a three-year, $13 million contract with their 2008 second-round pick Nikola Pekovic, two league sources told ESPN.com’s Chad Ford.

Pekovic is a big, 6-foot-11 bruising center who has had an impressive career playing in Greece the past two seasons. Pekovic averaged 14.8 points per game and 3.5 rebounds per game in 23 minutes per game for Panathinikos in Euroleague play last season.

One league source said that had Pekovic been in this year’s draft he would have been a top-10 pick.

The rumor of him coming to the NBA this upcoming season has been out there for awhile.

But that is the big free agent signing!  Time for bed.

Got some ups?  Can you fly through the air with the greats of ease?  Or throw-down with no regard for human life?  Then you need to be at The Taste of Minnesota this Saturday for your chance to win a thousand dollars and then maybe $10 grand.  My cut is only 3.4% of total winnings.

Sprite, the NBA and event judge Darryl Dawkins are stopping at The Taste of Minnesota this Saturday for a competition to find the area’s best amateur dunker and I wanted to let you know about it. The winner will receive $1,000 and the chance to win $10,000 in the Sprite Slam Dunk Showdown judged by LeBron James over All Star Weekend.

Click here for information on the exact location.

Side-note:  This is the closet LeBron has been to a dunk contest since the McDonald’s All-American contest his senior year of highs school!  That is sad.

Even though free agency is right around the corner, there is the other event of the NBA Summer League.   NBA teams head to Las Vegas with a squad of young players, un-drafted players, and veterans trying to make an NBA roster.  All in the sake of “fun” – or making a living.

The Wolves announced their team today.  Here is the list of players from St. Tribunes, Jerry Zogada.

Jonny Flynn, Wesley Johnson, Wayne Ellington, Lazar Hayward, Greg Stiemsma and possibly Nate Jawai will play.

Other players they expect to add to the team:

Former North Carolina 6-9 forward Deon Thompson, who was not drafted last week.

Former Gonzaga guard Jeremy Pargo, who played last year in Israel.

D League 6-7 forward Mo Charlo, who played in Reno last season.

Former North Carolina State 6-9 forward Cedric Simmons, who has played 75 games with four different teams in three NBA seasons.

I was a fan of Pargo when he was in the college.    But his game is very similar to Flynn’s.  Deon Thompson was frustrating at UNC and will be interesting to see how effective he is against NBA players.

The Wolves start their games on July 12th against San Antonio, then July 14th vs. Sacramento, July 16th against Memphis, and then Atlanta on July 18th.