The Wolves have until midnight tomorrow (Wednesday) to sign Al Jefferson to a contract extension. After that, they cannot sign him until next summer, when he would be a restricted free agent and the Wolves would retain the rights to match any other team’s offer.

Jefferson said he isn’t worried if the deal gets done now or not. Hey, that’s what he said.

“If you get it done or it don’t get done, I’m still going to go out there and be a beast,” he said.

Orlando last summer signed 2004 No. 1 overall pick Dwight Howard to a maximum five-year extension worth about $80 million, but other notable players from Jefferson’s draft year such as Charlotte’s Emeka Okafor and Chicago’s Ben Gordon and Luol Deng are still negotiating and likely waiting for someone else to set the market price. The Wolves would match any offer Jefferson receives next summer, but are confident few teams will have the salary-cap room to make him a maximum offer.

Sebastian Telfair, Friday night’s season-opening starter at point guard now that Randy Foye seems out for at least three weeks,  also is eligible to be signed to an extension, but the team will watch him develop this season before deciding whether to do so.

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