(Click HERE for the complete story from ESPN)

Busy day Wolves fans.  The Wolves just signed Darko Milicic to go with the earlier signing of Pekovic.  Darko gets a 4 year deal for $20 million.  Really, not terrible by today's standards for big men.  Very luckily for us, the fourth year is only partially guaranteed.   I can live with that. Also, Darko wants to be here (lead the league in smiles hooray!), he plays above average defense, is a superb passer, and has legitimate seven footer size.  He could potentially be the Wolves best center.  Ever.

Now we only have about $5 million of cap space, after using nearly all of it in Kahn's "Fourth Window of Opportunity" to acquire Martell Webster/Darko/and Pekovic.  Make your own decisions on that.  But if Kahn wants Rudy Gay/David Lee/Pecherov (joking), then it is going to have to be via a Sign and Trade with Big Alco Jefferson's contract.  Or he gives Jefferson away for an entirely unguaranteed contract like Hayward from Dallas, and then signs a free agent.  Getting rid of Al for nothing (or S&T), allows us to acquire someone for a max of approximately $16 million or so.  A little more or less depending on how we fill out the end of the roster.

Good luck.

From ESPN:
The Minnesota Timberwolves have agreed with free agent Darko Milicic on a four-year deal, his agent, Marc Cornstein told The Associated Press on Thursday.

The contract is worth $20 million and the fourth year is only partially guaranteed, sources close to the process told ESPN.com.

Free agents can't formally sign contracts until July 8.

The deal for Milicic is extraordinary considering that in February he wasn't playing and said he was giving up on the NBA and returning to Europe.

The deal is the second for the Wolves in the first 24 hours of free agency. Earlier this morning, the team agreed to a four-year, $13 million deal with their 2008 second round-pick, Nikola Pekovic.

With the two moves, the Timberwolves spent $33 million to shore up their middle.

The Milicic and Pekovic deals severely cut into the Wolves' cap room this summer. Starting July 1, with $13 million under the cap, Minnesota now has a little under $5 million left to use on remaining free agents.

ESPN.com is reporting that the Denver Nuggets have offered Carmelo Anthony the ultimate litmus test of his loyalty with a 3-year $65M dollar extension.  That extension is likely far more money than Anthony would be able to make under next season's collective bargaining agreement.  Logic would hold that if Carmelo has any serious intentions of remaining a Nugget, he'll grab the money and run.  If he refuses to sign the contract, it's a likely sign that he's planning on departing for another city.

If Carmelo doesn't sign the contract, the Nuggets are wisely planning on moving him, deciding that it's better to get something in return for him instead of watching him walk away for nothing.  If Denver does go down that pathway, the Timberwolves are certainly an interesting trade partner.  Rumors have it that the Nuggets have already made some inquiries about the Big Alcoholic and the Wolves do have a slew of young players to send their way.   Could a deal of Al Jefferson, Wes Johnson, and Corey Brewer be enough of a haul for Denver?  You would think that the Nuggets would like to get some draft picks in return, but unless the receiving team has a guarantee to lock-up Melo long-term it's tough to start giving away future assets for what may amount to merely a single-season loan.

Again, a lot of this is speculation, but when our current best hopes are maxing out David Lee or Rudy Gay, or trading Al Jefferson for Eric Dampier's expiring contract, it can be fun to dream.   So let's hear your best offer to Denver for Melo in the comments!  Feel free to also propose some trades from other teams that might give the Wolves a run!

With less than 8 hours left to go before the NBA landscape undergoes a massive renovation, it's time to take one last look at the Wolves chances of landing one of the big names up for bid.   At least two years of hype will culminate this evening at 12:00AM.  As we await that moment, so many questions remain unanswered.  Will the Rogue Trader Kahn get his man, or will our off-season of disappointment continue?  Does anyone want to come to Minnesota? Can we find a way to bring Roundhouse back to blogging?  Who is that rotund character who pops up on the blog every now and then?

Anyway, it's time to break down each of the major free agent players and what the Wolves chances, if any, are of landing them.  Let's start with the biggest fish in the sea...

LeBron James

Clearly, the absolute best scenario for the Wolves would be bringing LeBron James into the fold.  Too bad it has about a 0.00000000000000000000000001 to the negative infinitieth power chance of happening.  I will move on.

Dwayne Wade

See above.

Chris Bosh

Ok, here's where David Kahn probably has a better chance of pulling off the signing than buying the winning powerball ticket.  Do I think Bosh is coming to Minnesota?  Absolutely not.  However, if Chris Bosh is seeking a max contract, he likely won't be following LeBron to whatever city he ends up choosing.  Other than the Knicks, there aren't any teams that can just flat-out absorb LeBron and Bosh both at the max.  What Bosh will likely have to do to sign outright for a max contract is to opt for whatever city King James and DWade end up spurning.  Also worth noting is the fact that if Bosh truly wants the biggest payday possible, he'll have to sign with Toronto and then be traded.  This option could earn him up to $20M more over the lift of his deal.  Here's also where things get a little tricker, because Toronto will obviously want to have some say in what they're brining back in return for Chris's massive contract.  If that's truly the case, Minnesota could be a prime trading partner.  We're one of the few teams with cap space who haven't absolutely gutted their entire roster.

Again, this all hinges in Bosh looking to lock up every dollar he can.  If the weather or winning take precedent, the Wolves are done here.

Click "Read More" below for the rest of this article...

HAHAHAHA.

Nice trade KAHN, definitely your best work yet!  I can't believe the Wizards gave away Rubio for two crappy one-and-done rentals.  Then again they did get Wall, so it doesn't really matter now.

WIZARDS RENOUNCE RANDY FOYE'S RIGHTS

So long Foye, you are terrible. Will anyone sign him? I guess yes, but it will be interesting to see what he gets. I surely wouldn't give him much more than the minimum.  Maybe he'll sign with the Nets after they fail to land any star free agents.

Thank goodness we didn't keep him... as I'm sure we would have been tempted to pick up his QO.

P.S.  "Let's Build It" ???  That marketing campaign makes me throw up in my mouth.

Discuss this and more in the TWolves Blog Forums!

The Minnesota Timberwolves acquired the former lottery pick from Portland in a trade for the 16th overall pick on draft night last week. Many players would sulk after getting traded from a playoff contender to the second-worst team in the league, but Webster welcomes the change.

"It's a crazy feeling. It's kind of surreal," Webster said during his introductory news conference Monday. "New place. New setting. New culture. I'm excited."

Webster was one of the highest-rated high school players in the country during his senior year at Seattle Prep in 2005 and was the first prep player drafted that year when the rebuilding Blazers took him sixth overall, ahead of Andrew Bynum.

Jonah Ballow at Timberwolves.com has an Article About Martell Webster

Martell Webster's "Second Chance"

From Brian Murphy at Pioneer Press:

Martell Webster joined the NBA in 2005 as one of the last 18-year-old overachievers to become draft-eligible and a first-round enigma.

He arrived in Minnesota on Monday as the newest face of the Timberwolves' 2010 reformation, a process that figures to accelerate when free agency commences late Wednesday night.

Webster, a 23-year-old swingman and three-point sharpshooter, already has five seasons of pro experience with the Portland Trail Blazers. He also is a father, a husband to-be and grateful for the chance to compete for minutes on a team desperate to add scoring and athleticism.

Not to mention reverse its status as a perennial loser.

Young Vet Eager to Show Us His [Stuff]

From Jerry Zgoda at Star Tribune:

"Not a fresh start," Webster said. "Not to say that I didn't have one in Portland, but now I get more of one. The opportunity is a little bigger. For me, something bigger means a lot more. It's trying to change the identity and make this a winning organization, which I was part of in Portland. My early years there, that was fun, to tell you the truth."

He entered the NBA directly out of a Seattle high school, which makes him a grizzled veteran on a team filled with players 21 and 23 years old even though he missed the 2008-09 season because of a broken foot.

"It's the craziest thing," Webster said. "Corey Brewer and all those guys, that's all my class. It's kind of surreal when you think about it. I'm a young vet. I just want to come here and bring my knowledge and definitely spread it on this team. ... It's like getting a new bike: You can't wait to get out there and test ride it."

Our illustrious T-WolvesBlog Writer/Agitator "Roundhouse" has reportedly sworn off the T-Wolves after their latest draft day escapade of failure.

For any of you that have been paying attention to the interwebz, our own Roundhouse is far from the only one that has sworn off allegiance to this team.  Perhaps it was a hasty response by some?  I know I was very close, but you can't just leave a team.  Not unless something far more drastic happens than this putrid draft by KAHN.  (See: Bill Simmons article about the rules for switching the team you follow.  However, I can't find a link at the moment, sorry. I did four google searches and still couldn't find it.)

On one hand, we don't blame him (and others) for leaving.  But should they decide it was a hasty decision and want to come back, we are very accepting. 

Here's a poll, what do you guys think?

I had been looking forward to Thursday for months.  When your a Wolves fan, June-August always end up being more entertaining than the actual NBA season.  Then, Hostpocalypse happened.  Like LeBron on a rookie contract, we'd be doing extremely well value-wise with Bloguin's hosting running 150 sites for $80/month.  However, as we have now grown in size and stature, the time had come to fork over the free-agent money.  Moving one site can be a daunting task.  Moving 150? Well, let's just say this is the first time in about 96 hours where I'm not completely obsessed with the process.

That's not entirely true, as I was able to get things under control enough to take in the NBA Draft.  After a long day, it was going to be my oasis of care-free entertainment.  Needless to say, by the end of it I probably would've found myself less stressed had I just continued with three more hours fixing crashing websites...   KAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHNNNNNN!

Usually when you experience a nightmare like that, you have a point where you wake up.  Hosting-wise, things are much better.  T-Wolves-wise?  Well, the nightmare has only just begun...

Some interesting thoughts from Wolf Among Wolves
from Ben Polk

• Its become clear that the Timberwolves have made re-signing Darko Milicic (and, to a lesser extent, Nikola Pecovic) a condition of trading Al Jefferson. “It’s the right time finally for us to explore this,” Kahn said. “I’ve met with Al and discussed this. If Darko comes back, there could be a need to create some playing time. We really need to get our front line settled.” This is slightly unsettling because it  suggests that Kahn and Rambis have calibrated their concept of “team need” around Darko’s presence. One wonders: did this factor into their decision to pass on Demarcus Cousins? I am now squirming in my chair.
• Kahn predicted that sign-and-trades, rather than straight free-agent signings would dominate the landscape this summer. But, as Myles rightly points out, now that Rudy Gay seems to be off the table it’s not clear which free agents the Wolves might be pursuing. They could certainly attempt use Al to work a Chris Bosh sign-and-trade although I would think that Bosh’s first desire would be to just go wherever Lebron goes. After that, what’s left? Joe Johnson? Carlos Boozer? Amar’e Stoudemire? David Lee? Tyrus Thomas? Amir Johnson? Does any of this make sense?

Passing on DMC to accommodate Darko...  I can't even go there.  I'll just continue thinking that Kahn can't possibly be that stupid.

As far as the sign and trades go, I think Kahn might be onto something.  The media LOVES this free agency period.  Talking about a LeBron/Wade/Bosh super team will get anyone to perk up and read an article.  That's a level of power that you only see at All-Star games.  Still, when it's all said and done, money talks.  Somebody like Bosh would get significantly more money in a sign and trade and won't necessarily make up the difference in "endorsements" the same way LBJ would by going to New York.  If anything, playing in LeBron's shadow might further hinder his ability to do advertisements, etc.   In Minnesota, he would be THE man, the next KG.  That's worth some serious coin.   Despite all the losing here in Sota, I'm sure KG made waaaaaaay more money "off the court" than Scottie Pippen ever did.

Wolves' off-season has just begun
via Jerry Zgoda at the Strib

A deal involving Jefferson, for example, conceivably would allow the Wolves to take back a signed free agent who received a maximum NBA contract. "I don't want anybody here to feel like we're some poor stepchildren," Kahn said. "We're not. We're building something of great value that will be sustainable. I think we have a chance to have some serious discussions with free agents after July 1."

It might not take Kahn long to learn whether, as many Wolves fans believe, he is deluded.

"I'll you know at about 12:04 a.m. on July 1," Kahn said. "Seriously, not to be funny, we'll know."

I will say, a Jefferson sign and trade for a max contract makes a lot of sense.  That's something Miami, Chicago, NY, and even the Nets can't really offer.  They've gutted their teams to clear as much cap space as possible, where the Wolves still have something relatively valuable to send to a team that's losing a top-tier player.  As I said before, at the end of the day, money talks.  The Wolves may be in good position by playing their hand this way.  The real question is who's going to bite.  If it's Carlos Boozer, I don't see how it makes us significantly better.

Njereaexrweafd Bjaremxnsdlfkjfse is coming to America
via Tom Powers at the Pioneer Press

Kahn likes the skill set Bjelica brings. At 6-10, he could play point guard as well as on the wing. He is that fluid and that good with the basketball. However, the Wolves have to decide whether they want him to work on his upper body strength here or in Europe.

"For sure I will play in the NBA," Bjelica said. "I don't know if I will play this year. I must learn a lot of things to do to reach the next level. Here, everything for me is new."

In fact, this is his first trip ever to the U.S. Although he will accept Minnesota's decision regarding the 2010-11 season, he said he really wants to bring his fiancee over and marry her here. She was his therapist while he recovered from his broken leg two years ago.

There is what I guess you could call an Eastern European hungriness about Bjelica. He is entirely focused on his basketball career. He loves the game, which he said saved him from "the dark side." And he has said often that, while money is important to everyone, he is more concerned with reaching his potential and becoming a great player.

Well, chalk up another feel good story for the Wolves.  We may not be champions on the court, but, by golly, we will be champions off ot it.

Vomit.

Wolves Hopes in Free Agency
via Jerry Zgoda at the Strib

DREAMY SCENARIOS

Amare Stoudemire: The Phoenix star is not the defender they seek, but he's the kind of athlete they lack at power forward and he's just 27. Remember this: The first rumors when David Kahn took the Wolves job 13 months ago involved him.

Rudy Gay: Wesley Johnson's presence at small forward makes this seem less likely, but the Memphis small forward seems a perfect fit and, at age 23, he's a guy who could be their star. He's a restricted free agent, so this probably would be a sign-and-trade between teams that made the Kevin Love-O.J. Mayo deal two years ago.

Hmm...  How is Rudy Gay still a viable free-agent option after Kahn's Small-Forwardpalooza at the draft?  Doesn't make much sense to invest that kind of cash in a fifth SF for this team.   Amare?  Let's just say max-contract and microfracture surgery are two things that should never be mentioned in the same sentence.

Questions about Wes Jonhson
via John Pitarresi at UticaOD.com

The ifs start with the Johnson’s 6-foot-7, 200-or-so-pound frame. That’s skinny by most standards, and certainly by NBA standards. He will gain muscle over the next few years, they all do, but I don’t know how much he can put on. His body type doesn’t look like it can take a lot.

He can shoot it from about anywhere, for sure, and can run and jump like a gazelle, but he has to handle the ball better if he is going to be a guard, and he has to prove he can attack the basket and rebound against big, physical players if he is going to be a small forward.

Again, Johnson was a great player at SU, but I didn’t think he was such a sure-fire pro that he would be picked fourth overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in this week’s NBA draft. They’d know better than I.

John, you are giving this front office waaaaaaaaaaay too much credit.

Gomes not long for Portland
via Jason Quick at The Oregonian

Team president Larry Miller said the Blazers will probably release newly acquired forward Ryan Gomes in order to avoid taking on the remaining three seasons of his contract.

The team has until Tuesday to make a decision, but Miller said he has already told Gomes' agent not to fly him to Portland.

In other breaking news, College Wolf, in a move similar to the LeBron supporters in Akron, is staging a rally outside the Target Center, hoping to lure Gomes to Minnesota in free agency.

A review of the Wolves' draft
by Matt Moore at NBC's Pro Basketball Talk

2. Minnesota Timberwolves: "Irrational movement is still progress." The Wolves turned 5 beautiful, untouched picks into a marginally good small forward with a considerable, if not large, contract, and several tweener players that would have been available later in the draft than where they were selected. Wes Johnson is fine, but is he better than Cousins? Than Udoh? Than Monroe? Lazar Hayward... what? And they sent Babbitt to Portland for Martell Webster...and gave them Ryan Gomes! The Wolves' GM got worked by a guy who was fired.

A pretty fair assessment of the team's woes, but a little tough on Wes Johnson.  There was talk of him going as high as #3 prior to the draft.  Personally, I wanted Cousins.  But Epke Udoh or Greg Monroe?   I think if Kahn took those guys over Johnson, especially with our current lineup, he'd really need to get his head checked.

Grading the Draft
by Kelly Dwyer at Yahoo! Sports

Listen, I even like Martell Webster(notes). Think highly of him. But to cash in Ryan Gomes'(notes) desirable contract and the 16th pick on Webster? Johnson might be terrible, and a guaranteed contract for Lazar Hayward? What an awful night.

Grade: F

Hey, hey, hey!  I object.  Look, I'm not the biggest fan of what the Wolves did on draft night either, but that was solid D- work by David Kahn!

HoopsWorld Reviews the Wolves Draft
by Stephen Brotherson

The happiest man in this year's draft just might be Timberwolves President and GM David Kahn. Kahn has stated that even he can't miss with the fourth pick this year and he was right...

I'm just gonna stop right there.

By the way, did any of you tune into Timberwolves.com right after the draft?  They had a live broadcast going and Jonah Ballow and Hanny, God bless 'em, were going on and on about how much promise the Wolves picked up in the draft, how the fans were ecstatic with Wes Johnson.  All the while the Twitter feed right next to the video wasy streaming Tweets like, "WTF? Lazar Hayward?", "I'm never rooting for this team again!", "Al-Farouq my life", "KAAAAAAHHN!", "What are the Wolves thinking?".

High Comedy.