Metal Monday: Corey Brewer Rumors, is Brady Heslip comin' back?

Good morning, everyone. Yesterday, Marc Stein published this column at ESPN.com indiciating the Minnesota Timberwolves are shopping Corey Brewer. A column was published on this website shortly after this news surfaced. Brewer, averaging nearly 10 points in around 20 minutes per game, is under contract through this season and has a player option in 2015-2016 - valued at $4,905,000 (Spotrac).

The Cleveland Cavaliers and Houston Rockets are the frontrunners to land Brewer, according to Stein, and would only need to give up future draft considerations in order to do so.

Minnesota is believed to be seeking future assets in exchange for Brewer as it tries to accelerate its rebuilding effort in the wake of trading star power forward Kevin Love to the Cavaliers in August. Both Cleveland and Houston possess a trade exception large enough to absorb Brewer's $4.7 million salary, meaning that both teams would likely be able to acquire Brewer by merely surrendering future draft compensation and without giving up any key players.

Potential return.

It has been speculated in the short time since Stein's story that the Wolves could land a second round pick in exchange for Brewer.

The Cavaliers don't own any of their own second round draft selections until 2019. But they possess the Sacramento Kings second round picks in '15 and '17 that are top 55 protected. In addition, the Cavs own a top 55 protected from Boston in 2015, and top 55 protected from the Clippers in 2016. The Cavs also own another second round selection in the '15 draft, but it is a highly protected pick that will likely be conveyed to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Provided the Rockets don't inexplicably fall into the lottery, their first round selection in the '15 draft will go to the Los Angeles Lakers. A tweet sent by Jerry Zgoda illuminated that the Rockets will likely land the New Orleans Pelicans first rounder in '15. This pick (protected 1-3, 20-30) will be conveyed to the Rockets assuming the Pelicans don't finish among the top-10 teams in the NBA, or land one of the top three selections in next year's draft. In other words, as Zgoda alluded to, that pick will be tough to obtain.

The Wolves could ask for their second round pick, one that will otherwise be conveyed to the Rockets, in exchange for Brewer, but it's tough to speculate potential return value at this time.

Moreover, it appears abundantly clear the Wolves will not receive a player in exchange for Brewer, meaning, if trade is consummated, an open roster slot would become available. Subsequently, if we are to believe ESPN 1500's Darren Wolfson, the Wolves would then look to sign Brady Heslip in an effort to bolster their depth at guard.

Heslip was on the Wolves Summer League roster and averaged just two-minutes per game in four appearances during the preseason. After he was the last player cut prior to the season Heslip signed on with the Reno Bighorns of the D-League. In his debut with the Bighorns, Heslip scored 40 points in just 24 minutes after knocking down 11 of 18 three point attempts.

So, is a trade going to happen? Will the Wolves ultimately sign Heslip?

Flip Saunders can always say that he isn't afraid to make a trade if he believes said trade will make his team better. Nobody is certain, but we'll know whether or not something comes to fruition in the next few days. The Wolves don't play again until Wednesday.

According to USA Today's Jeff Zillgitt, a key factor for the Cavs in these negotiations would be getting Brewer to waive his player option for '15 -'16.

This website has long been aware the Wolves currently have too many wings on the roster. It's tough to give Brewer, Chase Budinger and Shabazz Muhammad with ample playing time. Brewer has arguably the most upside of those three players but, more importantly, wouldn't be a daunting commitment to a team looking to make a run at the NBA Finals this season - a la the Rockets and Cavaliers.

Going after Brewer is a gamble, which is what we see him do so often on the defensive side of the ball, but the seven-year veteran has proven capable of producing in a role off the bench.

It's nice to see Saunders considering the future, rather than doing whatever it takes to win now. He'll have some more cap space to work with in the future if he's able to part with Brewer. Before Ricky Rubio went down with an injured ankle, the feeling around the team was that they could surprise people in the Western Conference.

The Wolves have yet to win a game in Rubio's absence.

Music.

Knights of the Abyss is from Phoenix, Arizona (where I used to live). This is....pretty heavy..
One of my favorites. Welcome to Camelot.

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