More Wolves' heads will role, post-trade!
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It's a matter of simple math, really.
The blockbuster deal made to send Kevin Garnett to the Boston Celtics for a half-decent shot at winning a ring, and restoring a future of hope to the Minnesota Timberwolves, has made it almost a lock that the Wolves will be cutting off the heads of a few more players before the summer is done.
Post-KG trade, the Minnesota Timberwolves have 18 players under contract and only 15 spots when you count inactive reserves. That means at least three more heads have to roll by the time the season starts.
One extra head has already rolled; that of PG Troy Hudson. The team was so over T-Hud, they simply bought out the remaining two seasons of his contract, avoiding an optional third year, and saved $2M against the cap in the bargain.
A second head will roll when the Wolves make it official and final that free agent Bracey Wright, who has accomplished nothing as a Timberwolf except play average in the D-League. He played only 19 games at the NBA level last season, 26 games total in his career. The rest of the time, he's been D-Leaguing it.
That leaves one more head to roll, just to get to the league maximum roster of 15.
Now, the obvious choice, and easiest by cost standards, would be to simply not sign their 2nd-round draft pick from this season, Chris Richard, to a contract, and encourage the kid to play in Europe while they hold onto his draft rights and thin the roster a bit next season. That would be the easy way out.
I have a better candidate in mind; if owner Glen Taylor is really in the mood to take a hit financially, it's time to call the Marko Jaric experiment a bust. Either trade him to some team for whatever you can get ... a 2nd round draft pick would be nice ... or buy out his insanely-long, insanely-high-cost contract to, and just be shut of the whole catastrophe.
Whether it's Richard or Jaric, one more head WILL roll before this is all over. Count on it.
