Wolves waive Atkins with camp a week away
Posted on September 22nd, 2009 – 3:57 PMBy Jerry Zgoda
Now that he has signed Ramon Sessions and Sasha Pavlovic, David Kahn is moving onto what last week called some “bookkeeping” matters with training camp scheduled to start a week from today in Mankato.
The Wolves on Tuesday waived veteran guard Chucky Atkins, agreeing to pay him the due $760,000 for a $3.48 million contract that was most non-guaranteed. That cost savings is why Kahn traded Etan Thomas and two future second-round picks to Oklahoma City in late July for Atkins and Damien Wilkins.
At the time, Kahn hinted that Atkins’ contract might soon be traded away for another piece of the proverbial puzzle. That never happened, and Tuesday they cashed in the $2.72 million savings themselves.
Also expect veteran center and former Timberwolf Mark Blount — and his $7.96 million expiring contract — to be waived in the next week.
69 Responses to "Wolves waive Atkins with camp a week away"
Wow, I’m surprised they would wave Blount I would have thought that contract would be worth something to someone.
Jerry, maybe I am wrong, but it seems the wolves are short on big men. Do you expect them to add anyone to help rest Big Al and K-Love? Or are there people on there roster besides Hollins that will back them up?
I would have thought so too unless they can buy him out at a discount. I was wondering if some teams would be having fire sales at the trading deadline to dump salary, and the Wolves could look to take advantage. I guess they have no plans to go that route.
Good call Dman.
Welcome back, Jerry. Looks like Kahn decided to turn his paperclip into a less expensive paperclip instead of a house. C’est la vie.
I’d rather be undersized than watch Blount play…
[…] On the Wolves » Blog Archive » Wolves waive Atkins with camp a week away blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/wolves/2009/09/ – view page – cached Now that he has signed Ramon Sessions and Sasha Pavlovic, David Kahn is moving onto what last week called some “bookkeeping” matters with training camp scheduled to start a week from today in Mankato. — From the page […]
They could always trade him, but I don’t know for what other than another overpaid piece that somebody else doesn’t want. That salary is as valuable to them — probably more so — than any other team and Blount isn’t going to agree to anything less than his full salary, I wouldn’t think. Either way, he’s not going to be coming to camp. No way he’s on the roster and I’m guessing they just let that $8 million sit there until next summer, when they then presumably spend it.
I don’t understand. How is his salary valuable if they waive him? Can anyone explain?
Hi Jerry. Any news on the meeting between Rambis and Daniels re: whether he wants to be here?
If they reach a buyout with Daniels too, I’d think they need a cheap 3rd PG in case of injuries.
It is valuable in that when it expires, that is more $$ the Wolves have to spend next summer. If they traded Blount for a better player with 2 years left, they’d crater much of their 2010 cap space for FAs.
Siler. Siler. Siler. pick up Siler.
He turned down MN and is in Atlanta’s camp.
Yes, maybe with just a little of the money they save by waiving Atkins and Blount they can sign one big man to fill the role described by DMan. Maybe Siler, maybe Melvin Ely?
Atl offered it first, don’t tell me he wouldn’t sign here if we offered him something. He’d take anything at this point.
“Siler also had an offer from Minnesota, but the Timberwolves signed 7-foot center Ryan Hollins, a restricted free agent from the Dallas Mavericks. Shortly after learning the news, Siler’s agent, Lance Young, fielded a call from Atlanta. The Hawks offered Siler an opportunity to come up a few weeks early in advance of their training camp.”
http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/2009/08/05/nba_543341.shtml
Jamal Magloire would have been perfect the kind of bench role that could help the young Wolves. And he was available for awhile–and relatively cheap. But Miami snatched him up, I think.
Malik Allen could be a possibility–rather have Ely though.
“perfect for the kind of bench role…”
So, even if they waive him, they still get his salary amount for next year’s cap? Interesting. However, I guess I don’t understand why you would waive him now, though, if you would have to pay him his whole salary. Just keep him on the 15 man roster - maybe someone at the deadline will get desperate and trade for him and we get some additional value like a pick or something in addition to the cap space. Why wouldn’t you keep him and see what happens?
For a guy like Blount or Atkins to have any sort of value at the deadline, you have to be playing them the entire season up to that point. Atkins would have been the #4 PG on this team, and Blount is a guy who has the sort of work ethic that is not needed around the locker room. If you can’t get anything for them now, you may as well cut them loose and eat the money. I suspect they can work out a buyout for Blount that will save the Wolves a little bit of money. Something like the $7.96 million less the veterans minimum that Blount will likely get as a FA.
We shouldn’t have traded away Q Richardson for Blount. I know Kahn is going to go after a big name next year and wanted to free up as much money as possible for a Lebron, Wade or Bosh but MN is going to have trouble luring a big name free agent to a small market team with a history of losing and the coldest winters any NBA franchise has to endure. ( see Ricky Rubio ). The “Big 3″ will go to large market teams that already have the pieces to be contenders like LA, NY, Chi, Det & Dallas. Q would have been our best scoring option that diddn’t play at the log jam us timberwolves fan’s call the PF position.
Q-Rich had no future on this rebuilding team. He would only take minutes away from one of the young players they want to develop. He also would not have offered anything in terms of team leadership, mentoring, etc.
first off NY has no pieces to contend, they have no talent anyone wants, let alone any talent in place that would be part of a winning team. Detroit is on the down swing..Hamilton is on the down swing, they have no inside presence and no PG…be interesting to see how Stuckey does. Dallas will never be a threat as they play no defense. Dallas is done as long as Kidd is their PG and Dirk is their main offensive guy.
We don’t have a logjam at the 4 genius, we have a log jam at the 2 now, but seeing as how a few of those guys can play the 1 or 3 as well..is not that big a problem.
Not to start an argument, but where’s the logjam at the 2? Ellington’s the only natural 2 on the roster — sure, Sessions can (and will) play there but he’s not a real 2, and Daniels/Gomes/Brewer aren’t either. And even if you count them all as real 2s, that’s still a seriously moldy, weak logjam of less-than-average talent (other than Sessions!). 2 is our clear weakest spot, followed by big man depth and the 3 spot.
Umm….what???
We have ONE shooting guard. How is that a logjam?
Put Pavlovic on the list for the 2
And Wilkins
Ah, I forgot about Wilkins. Although he’s going to be such a non-factor he might as well not be on the roster anyway.
i’ll take the guys we currently have on the roster knowing the vast majority will be gone after this year and we will have picks-most likely and $ to spend in FA next year. Not to mention the Rubio chip. I see Sac using this year to see how Evans and Martin work together, if it fails a deadline deal will be far more likely than one would be at this time.
The “Small Market” issue is such a lame reason to use as someones made up reason why talent wont sign here. I’m pretty sure KG did alright here, and unless I’m mistaken, it appears AP is EVERYWHERE.
Logjame= Pav, Wilkins, Ellington, and Sessions and Brewer will get some minutes there too. Not too mention Daniels if he comes here.
Yeah I think its more about the franchise than the market, I believe we are the 13th biggest market in the country. (St. Paul and Minneapolis)
How is the locker room and weight room?
I think that is an issue.
The locker room has nice lockers and the weight room has some nice weights. JK, I don’t think the facilities are that outdated, not as nice as Dallas or LA but probably not high school level either.
Hardly believe the locker room and/or weight room would have anything to do w/anyone signing somehwere or not. you sign to win and/or for the money. i mean seriously…the locker room? how often are you really in that locker room? talk about lame.
Have you met a millionaire athlete? It is all about training and EXTREME pampering.
We should work out Stromile Swift or somebody for cheap to add depth in the front-court
Ok, that’s more of a logjam than I remembered (that I forgot two of them says something out its quality, though). I still think it’s a jam of pretty moldy rotten logs, just a more crowded one.
I compare our SG logjam to building Log Cabin, we have a lot of useless logs by themselves but put together they build a nice house, ok that was stupid but if we could put,
Ellington’s and Pav’s shooting
Sessions’ and Daniels ballhandling and passing
Wilkin’s and Brewer’s Defense
Then we would have a good SG
Sadly quantity does not equal quality in the NBA. Everyone would prefer DWade and a DLeague hustle guy backup vs. our SG ‘logjam’.
It would appear that the SG position where Kahn will likely spend the #1 pick and/or 2010 FA dollars. Wilkins/Pavlovic are just 1 year stop gaps. Ellington is a bench guy. Brewer will need to improve soon or he will be in Europe next fall.
Tlitty,
The wolves will save the per-de-um, they will save the insurance, they will save the hotel room expense, and they will save their team from becoming diseased by a 7′0 piece of junk that is either allergic or horrible traumatized by the paint. Mark Blount is the anti-center, and has a horrible reputation for his attitude.
free agents have stayed away from here when all things were equal because of how the franchise was run. A distant second is that people would rather be in a warm weather climate… our MARKET size is a ridiculously lame answer. We are the 13th in size, and we are a far bigger market than Cleveland, and I do believe that King James is making a ton of cash, and with the internet, cable, satellite, and the invention of the airplane city market size is fairly irrelevant.
c-note
Brewer will see the majority of his minutes at SF I think since we only really have Gomes as the only true SF on the roster. Sasha and Brewer will probably both see a lot of minutes at the 3 spot depending on how Sessions, Flynn, Daniels, and Ellington play.
Yeah, I have posted that before too, our 1’s, 2’s, and 3’s, have a lot of flex which is fine. And Expression I beat you to the market size thing in my 8:57 post, jk, you probably didn’t see it….. or did you, lol
Can someone please tell me how a stiff like Blount ever received the contract he has?
Did Wolves trade Eaton Thomas & 31st pick in next years draft for Wilkins? Must be part of Master Plan that only a select few understand. It looks like another bad move by Kahn to my untrained eyes.
OMG…. Rubio is a beast. Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nspFFxH07eI&feature=player_embedded
Yes they are untrained eyes…we actually gave up two second rounders, Etan Thomas for Wilkins and Atkins.
I don’t know when Blount got that contract but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was when he averaged 10-7 in 03 with Boston…or right before.
[…] less soldier for David Khan point-guard army: “The Wolves on Tuesday waived veteran guard Chucky Atkins, agreeing to pay him the due […]
LT, you and others are far overvaluing 2nd round draft picks. Wish I could find the article I read a while back with the detailed analysis on that, but for every Gilbert Arenas or Michael Redd there are about a million 2nd rounders who never make an NBA team.
Here come training camp, about to get real. Real interesting. Hope the ref’s all go away and we get some non biased replacements that know how to let men play some ball. Hope Al’s knees good?!
The chances of finding a very good player in the second round are slim, but you can find bench players in the second round if you do a good job of scouting. There’s at least a handful of players in the second round every year who become solid NBA players. I land somewhere in between complete disdain for them and LT’s value of them.
Manu Ginobli…second to last pick in the 2nd round. Damn Spurs !
[…] name Daniels if he comes here. C-Note says: Sept 22nd, 2009 at 8:57 pm See the rest here: On the Wolves » Blog Archive » Wolves abandon Atkins with tent a … Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: 13th, 13th-biggest, are-the, comes-here-, franchise, market, […]
Darn Spurs is right. They got Parker in like second or third to the last in the first round as well. I definitely would not poo-poo high second round picks or late first round picks.
If Daniels doesn’t won’t to play in Minn they will need a third point guard for practice and injury insurance. I am pretty sure the goal this year is to lose as many games as possible and get a top draft pick which shouldn’t be a problem with this roster.
The 2 and 3 position are a mess. Gomes is not a long term starter at the 3 and all indications are Brewer, Pavlovic, and Wilkins will be gone after this year if they don’t have a breakout season. Ellington has the potential to be a good backup at the 2 but he will never be a star.
The T-Wolves need serious upgrades at the 2 and 3, and a 6′ 11″ or taller shot blocking PF/C. With up to 3 1st rounders and a ton of money for FA they should be able to get some of that.
Hi Jerry,
If you get a chance, can you ask Kahn why the team didn’t trade Atkins and his partially guarenteed contract to a team over the luxury tax line? At this point I wish they’d kept Etan Thomas - he could have been a decent 3rd or 4th big.
I suspect there wasn’t much of a market for Atkins. Pavlovic was in the same scenario in Phoenix and no one traded for him, either. If you’re not going to get a useful part, you might as well keep the savings for yourself.
I forget who was the person clamoring for Raymond Felton as a target…it looks like he re-sign with the Bobcats for 1yr $5.5.
So the questions are:
1) Would you rather have Felton for 1 year at that price or Sessions for 4 years at his price ?
2) Say Sessions was a 1 year deal…who would you rather have at the price in that scenario…
Wasn’t me that wanted Felton but it would be ok, but I like having Sessions locked up for 4 million a year, if he tanks, its not hard to move that small contract and if he excels, then he is only making 4 mil.
Thomas-wilking/atkins was simply for book-keepig purposes. we got out of thomas’s 2nd year and we got a potential nice chip in atkins contract…turns out we couldn’t flip it into anything.
Rather have Sessions for 4. Rather have Sessions locked in for 4yrs at 4M/yr, thats a very tradeable contract if we ever decide we want to trade him. He got long term security, we got a nice contract. Win-win.
Alright…what about scenario two ?
Both 1 yr deals…
basically asking Felton vs. Sessions…who’d ya want and why ?
Sessions: younger and better IMO. points and assists avg’s are about the same but Sessions has the ability to go off the hook, and has already done so a few times. Felton doesn’t have that capability.
Felton got a few 30+ games too…
I’ll take the extra 2 inches on Sessions so we don’t have two of the basically the same player.
Kahh has told Blount’s agent to seek a trade for him by the end of training camp or he’ll be bought out.
I would rather have Sessions, I feel he has more room to grow than Felton. I think Felton is as good as he will get, maybe the same for Sessions too but there is still potential for a lot more upside.
Felton vs. Sessions? Stats are somewhat similar with Sessions averaging 10 min less per game. Sessions is a strong finisher with exceptional court vision.
Felton has reached his peak in my opinion playing 37 min/game in a contract year and getting 14 ppg and 6asst. Felton’s Pretty good at most things. BUT, I think Sessions has more upside and is at the very least a solid rotation player on a good playoff team.
I like having Sessions for 4 years.
