The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team has acquired two future first-round draft picks, one belonging to Utah and one belonging to Memphis, and center Kosta Koufos from the Utah Jazz in exchange for forward Al Jefferson.
"I want to thank Al for his three years with the Timberwolves and the professionalism he exhibited this summer," said David Kahn, Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations. "Al is motivated to have a career-defining season and I recognize the Jazz will be the recipients of that, not us. I expect him to help Utah immensely.
"However, this trade was made in the best interests of not only Al, but also us. With the arrival of Michael Beasley, it would have been difficult to play Al the kind of minutes he deserves without jeopardizing the development of both Kevin Love and Michael. Moreover, I believe we had to take the opportunity to do this trade during the summer, when a small handful of teams are capable of absorbing his salary without sending back equal contracts in return.
"The first-round picks we receive plus the flexibility that we now have under the salary cap made this the right time to make what was a difficult decision."
Jefferson, the 15th overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics, was acquired by the Timberwolves on July 31, 2007, along with Ryan Gomes, Gerald Green, Theo Ratliff, Sebastian Telfair and two first round draft picks in exchange for Kevin Garnett.
Jefferson appeared in 208 games over three seasons in Minnesota, averaging 20.1 points and 10.4 rebounds per game for the Wolves. He established career-bests of 23.1 points per game during the 2008-09 and 11.1 rebounds per game in 2007-08. Jefferson's 308 offensive rebounds during the 2007-08 season set a Wolves franchise record. This past season, Jefferson averaged 17.1 points and 9.3 rebounds in 76 games.
The team's presser.
almost 2 years ago
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Pretty sure no TPE
They are using the TPE to sign Al Jeff, we get players and picks…….done deal.
ps please be easy mike beasley
"My buyout? I don’t know…eet eez very compleecated." -Ricky Rubio (when asked about his contract)
from zgoda
The Wolves and Jazz have completed the trade that sends Al Jefferson there for two first-round picks, second-year center Kosta Koufos and that large player trade exception.
Koufos may evenyually start instead of Milicic
I can’t believe we got Koufos. He’s going to be really good. Now
we have twin towers !!!
"You don't have the talent, but you can work harder than everyone else."
by WillistonCoyote on Jul 14, 2010 8:34 AM CDT up reply actions
Say what you will about Kahn (and you will)...
he seems to treat players respectfully and in an above-board manner. In the post- Dan Gilbert batsh*t rant era, maybe that counts for something.
Please
I’m busy trying to read through concrete posts….joking.
Anyway, Kahn establishes an adult relationship with players from the jump. He doesn’t try to be their daddy, buddy, cousin. It’s a professional manner that is quite favorable.
I spoke with Al Jefferson twice last week and he was positive but apprehensive of his future in the NBA, and rightfully so. Al is the real winner in all this. He immediately leaves a 15-win team and will be with a great point guard, wonderful coach, and outside shooters. Utah got a good draft pick in Gordon Hayward who is going to help Al out a lot. And, for once Al will be void of double-teams.
Good luck, Big Al. and thanks
Breaking down cognitive dissonance and group think since gasoline was cheap.
Who are all these great Utah outside shooters?
Please don’t say Gordon Hayward, because Wes Johnson was far better in college last season. Korver is gone, and Okur, who is coming off a major injury, was second on their team last year at 38%
Yea, I did
Al was running the Timberwolves youth camp at our local high school and he was very engaging and respectful. We had two lengthy chats and it was a pleasure to hear what he had to say at such an important time for all sides.
Breaking down cognitive dissonance and group think since gasoline was cheap.
Ha, I got 5 boys (ahem, young men)
Breaking down cognitive dissonance and group think since gasoline was cheap.
What?
Boys turn into young men???
I need to rethink this whole fathering thing. This could get ugly in about 8 years.
As an aside, did he mention playing defense in the future. I remember hoping he would come back from summers with a new defensive tenacity but he always had a new post move.
by midlife crisis on Jul 14, 2010 11:54 AM CDT up reply actions
Very good point..
….and I think that is the case, as well. I also think he is very up front with players’ agents, which is a good thing.
Forever splitting the Cheechakos from the Sourdoughs
www.canishoopus.com
It will be interesting
to see if that approach pays any dividend long term, as far as attracting or retaining players.
Also saw a comment
from Kevin Love saying if he still had his Twitter account we would have known about this deal a long time ago. I’m thinking Love was told a month ago he would be the starting PF this season.
hence
the buddy buddy with Rambis this offseason. Makes sense. Also explains why Al was really working hard. Every player wants to make a positive impression when they get traded from a scrub team to a playoff team. I am guessing that was also a goal of the trade.
No one is getting Rubio's rights unless they pry them from our cold dead fingers.
by TheEvilProfessor on Jul 13, 2010 10:46 PM CDT up reply actions
That trip to Staples they took for the playoff game . . .
It appeared that Rambis brought the Mrs., and Love soloed. Which would have made it a little awkward as Love scanned the crowd for opportunities, nudging Rambis and whispering “Check out the one in the orange tube top.”
Doesn't he have a
pretty hot girlfriend?
Not saying that’s stopping him, as it doesn’t with most athletes, just wondering if that’s still going on.
Rudy Gay: Feeding his family since 7/1/10
I heard that Kahn is having an 8:30 press conference. Is there audio or video of that available anywhere?
Probably on the website now, but from Twitter:
MNTimberwolves 1-on-1 @jonahballow with David Kahn following the Al Jefferson trade: http://j.mp/cEIcCW #Twolves
Rudy Gay: Feeding his family since 7/1/10
Someone needs to tweet Larry Coon and get a final, accurate explaination of the TPE
We’re a little confused on how that works right now, it seems
You don't get it if you are under the cap
Since I assume we were under the cap when the trade was made, we get no exception. We would only get it if it put us over the cap.
So now that Al's gone...
Who do you think will be the Wolves leading scorer this year?
Dorko!
No, probably Love and/or Wes Johnson (surprisingly) the kid has a fluid jumper that falls out of the sky, and he’ll take a crease and drive to the rim.
Breaking down cognitive dissonance and group think since gasoline was cheap.
Just tossing this out there, realize it's highly unlikely
But why not Flynn?
by googoleeoottooooleeoottooooleeeatta on Jul 13, 2010 9:27 PM CDT up reply actions
Maybe if we lose the Triangle...
Until then…i don’t know.
Not sure its so unlikely
In my mind, it could be any of Love, Beasley, or Flynn. Wes is the very dark horse for me.
I looked ahead to the open road, thought about the people and what they know, and wrote a book called "People Don't Know Nothin!"
I think it's going to be any of those first three
And I’d have Webster as the darkhorse.
by googoleeoottooooleeoottooooleeeatta on Jul 13, 2010 9:34 PM CDT up reply actions
Ohh sure
Don’t know why I blanked on Webster. Co-dark horses for me.
I looked ahead to the open road, thought about the people and what they know, and wrote a book called "People Don't Know Nothin!"
This will be the fun part of this season...
watching one (or more?) of these guys find consistency.
by losDelFuego on Jul 13, 2010 11:02 PM CDT up reply actions
I really hope it's not Flynn
If he gets more efficient, I guess that’d be ok, but I’d rather he do more distributing.
by aarendsvark on Jul 13, 2010 11:34 PM CDT up reply actions
Beast-ly - - - Dark Horse: Lazar Hayward.
"You don't have the talent, but you can work harder than everyone else."
by WillistonCoyote on Jul 14, 2010 3:02 PM CDT up reply actions
since kahn is looking to trade koufos now what are we expected to get for him?
"Brian Cardinal left Purdue being the only Boilermaker to receive both the "Mr. Hustle" Award and the "Courage" Award four years in a row"
I wouldn't hold your breath...
for anything exciting…maybe he’ll be packaged with Sessions somewhere.
for fernandez maybe?
or just koufos straight up for a second round pick? i just have no grasp on what he is about worth
"Brian Cardinal left Purdue being the only Boilermaker to receive both the "Mr. Hustle" Award and the "Courage" Award four years in a row"
Package Sessions, Brewer, Pec & Pav
"You don't have the talent, but you can work harder than everyone else."
by WillistonCoyote on Jul 14, 2010 3:04 PM CDT up reply actions
Maybe Charlotte
Not only because they have a “rumored” interest in Sessions, but because they just traded away their starting center and so could use another big man…
Does Charlotte have anything of interest, though?
About the most appealing name on that roster is Gerald Henderson, and he isn’t all that interesting.
Sessions + Koufos for Nazr Mohammed's $6mil expiring?
Yeah, there’s not a lot there…If we weren’t getting Ridnour, I wouldn’t mind trying to get Augustin…
Why can't we keep Koufos...
and get rid of Hollins?
I imagine Koufos’ cheaper K (and possible potential) is easier to move. Too bad.
Good one.
"You don't have the talent, but you can work harder than everyone else."
by WillistonCoyote on Jul 14, 2010 3:05 PM CDT up reply actions
I wouldn't trade Koufos.
He’ll be better than Milicic ever thought to be. The guy can play. Besides,
he and Kurt have a connection. (they’re Greek/American). I’d keep this
dude so we can have twin towers like the Lakers.
"You don't have the talent, but you can work harder than everyone else."
by WillistonCoyote on Jul 14, 2010 8:39 AM CDT up reply actions
YES on the TPE
In the espn article it says the wolves can use the TPE, we did get the TPE with the 2 1st rounders and Kosta Koufos.
It says they used it
It did not say we got the TPE. Just says we got extra salary room, which to me indicates that we did not get the TPE.
The TPE goes away
They sent it to us, but since we are under the cap we don’t get it. It is kind of like Stephen Hawking’s theory that information can be destroyed. While other physicists proved that theory wrong, it still works with trade exceptions, apparently.
Getting the first round picks is actually pretty big too, now that I think about it
More or less guarantees we’ll still have a first rounder somewhere when ours finally comes due to LAC
How can Utah send us a player?
I thought the TPE couldn’t be used in a trade that also included a player (Koufos)?
by Dave T on Jul 13, 2010 10:11 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
Fair enough
I might have to suspend my campaign on this one…Reading too many differing stories
by PhoenixWolf on Jul 13, 2010 10:24 PM CDT up reply actions
Best of luck to Al
It’s hard to cheer for Utah, but he’s going to a well-run organization and will be playing with one of the best PG in the game. There’ll be a big hole in the left block here.
Yeah...
Al never did move off that spot… wore a hole right into the floor.
by Krotz the Wall on Jul 14, 2010 9:31 AM CDT up reply actions
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