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Players and agents took their first meetings over night, and now will see what else it out there as teams focus their targets. Here are a few things we learned:
Chase Budinger is apparently a pretty hot commodity. Several teams including the Bucks, Pelicans and Lakers along with the Wolves have expressed interest. The Lakers would only have the mini-MLE to offer, so that is a stretch for a guy who has yet to have a big NBA payday.
I would like to have Budinger back, but there is a limit. I would start getting uncomfortable over the $5 million a year threshold. What's your limit?
Flip Saunders did meet with O.J. Mayo, according to a Yahoo Sports report. That link includes the Budinger info and some other free agent stuff from around the league.
Mayo is set to meet with several other teams. He is not a player I would invest in, so I'm hopeful that the Wolves get outbid by a team with space like Utah or Detroit, both of whom will see him.
Doogie's most recent column includes the names of almost every free agent shooter in the league. He writes that Saunders intends to meet with the Wasserman Media Group, who represent both J.J. Redick and Mike Dunleavy Jr.
Doogie tweets this morning:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>FWIW, the <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Twolves&src=hash">#Twolves</a> made phone calls last night in addition to a meeting or two. They did NOT reach out though on the AK-47 front. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23twolves&src=hash">#twolves</a></p>— Darren Wolfson (@DarrenWolfson) <a href="https://twitter.com/DarrenWolfson/statuses/351688210398707712">July 1, 2013</a></blockquote>
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There is nothing specific yet on any teams expressing interest in Nikola Pekovic, at least that I've heard. It may be that teams are exploring UFAs first, and it may be that teams are certain the Wolves will match and don't want to tie up cap room in a losing pursuit. It just takes one, though, so we'll see.
Similarly I have heard nothing specific about teams inquiring about Andrei Kirilenko.
This is an open thread, so be open. Let's keep those FA rumors coming. It's fun, isn't it?