Ryan Hollins
Ryan Hollins of the Minnesota Timberwolves has been suspended without pay for two games for punching DeShawn Stevenson and striking Dirk Nowitzki, both of the Dallas Mavericks, on Monday, March 8.
The suspension was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.
The incident between Hollins and Stevenson occurred with 9:15 remaining in the second period, and the incident between Hollins and Nowitzki occurred with 3:38 remaining in the fourth period of Dallas’ 125-112 victory over Minnesota at Target Center.
Inside Hoops
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Darko Milicic
Timberwolves coach Kurt Rambis remains interested in what Darko Milicic has to offer in the NBA.
“We’re seeing glimpses of tremendous potential for him and for us,” Rambis said. “He made a pass to Ramon Sessions that Ramon wasn’t even looking for, probably assuming there was no way Darko was going to get him the basketball.
“We really haven’t seen an exorbitant amount of what he can do scoring, but it’s there. It’s just starting to poke out.”
Real GM
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Mark Blount
The Minnesota Timberwolves waived veteran center Mark Blount on Monday.
Securing his release before Monday’s midnight deadline means Blount will be able to play for someone else in the playoffs, if he can find a new job. Players currently on NBA rosters must be released by midnight in order to retain their playoff eligibility for another team.
Blount and the Timberwolves mutually agreed during the preseason that he would not join the team — after being reacquired in an August deal with Miami for Quentin Richardson — while Minnesota attempted to find a new home for Blount via trade.
ESPN.com
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Al Jefferson
Al Jefferson was arrested and booked into jail early this morning for allegedly driving drunk, according to jail records, and the Wolves immediately responded by suspending him.
Jefferson was arrested by the State Patrol at 1:08 a.m., a little more than three hours after the Wolves’ 110-91 loss to Portland at Target Center, and was brought to the Hennepin County Jail shorty after 2 a.m., according to the State Patrol and jail records. He was released at 3:19 a.m…
That is a penalty that will cost Jefferson, the Wolves’ highest-paid player who earns $12 million in the second season of a five-year, $65 million contract, roughly $293,000 in lost wages.
Inside Hoops
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Darko Milicic
Darko Milicic will be at Target Center on Friday night, and the Timberwolves insist they are happy about that.
Wolves President David Kahn met with Milicic and his agent, Marc Cornstein, on Thursday in New York and tried to convince one of the most notorious flops in NBA draft history that being traded to Minnesota is an opportunity, not an aggravation.
“I don’t think you can understate how traumatized he is — it’s not a stretch to say ‘distraught’ — about how his NBA career has played out,” Kahn said, one day after obtaining the seldom-used Knicks center in exchange for forward Brian Cardinal.
HoopsWorld
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Brian Cardinal
The New York Knicks traded Darko Milicic to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Brian Cardinal on Wednesday.
The Timberwolves also received cash considerations in the deal that was completed Wednesday night.
The trade will save the Knicks $1.8 million and give the Wolves a center to audition for the rest of the season.
ESPN.com
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Tyrus Thomas
The Bulls are preparing to trade forward Tyrus Thomas prior to Thursday’s deadline and the Timberwolves could be a sleeper to land the former LSU star.
Minnesota general manager David Kahn has been researching Thomas and the team has a boatload of assets to use to acquire him. They have three first-round picks and a host of expiring contracts.
The Nuggets and Rockets have also expressed interest in Thomas.
Real GM
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Ricky Rubio
Ricky Rubio, whom the Wolves drafted sixth, is playing in Spain this season, switching teams to FC Barcelona. That actually turned out well for the Knicks, who are still marking his progress.
Knicks international scout Kevin Wilson, who is responsible for their pick of Danilo Gallinari, lives in Barcelona and the Regal Barcelona team is his hometown club.
It has been well-documented Wilson is friends with the Rubio family and Ricky’s parents would love to see the Timberwolves deal him to New York.
Knicks president Donnie Walsh told The Post the last time he spoke to Wolves president David Kahn, his former assistant in Indiana, he was told Minnesota was not accepting trade offers now.
FanNation
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Al Jefferson
Timberwolves general manager David Kahn recently offered Al Jefferson to the Pacers for forward Danny Granger, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.
Indiana president Larry Bird is still determined to build about Granger, but the belief is that Kahn is starting to doubt Jefferson’s ability to be a cornerstone.
Minnesota may also be dealing with issues between forward Jefferson and Kevin Love.
Real GM
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