clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Wolves Sign LaVine, Will Utah Match for Gordon Hayward? Aldridge Staying in PDX

The Wolves inked rookie Zach LaVine to a contract, the terms of the deal have yet to be released. Some news involving LaMarcus Aldridge and Gordon Hayward. Venture down to Target Center to attend the pen scrimmage beginning at 7PM-- admission is free. Come one, come all. Hip-hop because it's humpday.

By ZacharyBD
Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

Wolves Stuff

Yesterday, it was announced Zach LaVine and the Minnesota Timberwolves agreed to terms and that a contract has been signed. The Wolves selected LaVine with the 13th overall selection of the 2014 NBA draft-- team policy prevents releasing details of the contract at this time.

According to the NBA Rookie Scale the Wolves likely inked LaVine to a two year guaranteed deal, worth around $1.7M in year one, with team options for third and fourth years. Remember this post from Chicken Noodle Hoop? There, you can determine how much money LaVine may have lost out on, depending on where you had him being chosen in your mock drafts.

Over the previous few days LaVine has impressed those who have witnessed him, if only briefly, during these practices-- he's really, really fast. Kent Youngblood writes in the Star Tribune that LaVine's speed is impossible to miss. Although, the sample size remains small any positive feedback via local media is usually hard to come by, there's something to be said for that.

--

Flip Saunders was on-air at KFAN with Dan Barreiro for what is known as the 'Funkadelic' segment. Barreiro is crafty, and there isn't really a question he won't ask Flip when provided with the opportunity. You can listen to the broadcast by clicking this link, but there's not too many quotables from this one. Flip did mention the guys on the LVSL roster seem to gravitate toward Ryan Saunders, because the Wolves assistant coach has a knack for relating to the younger players-- [Ryan] Saunders is only 28 years old.

The juiciest [if you want to call it that] quote from mini-camp thus far came from Youngblood's column [linked above].

"The way he handles himself and handles the ball, no question he can play one," [Flip] Saunders described LaVine after practice. "His understanding of what we want him to do, and how to play, to initiate the offense and be creative, there is no question."

Apparently Flip believes LaVine is capable of playing point guard, as well as shooting guard. Go and see LaVine, tonight, as the Timberwolves are hosting an open scrimmage at Target Center. Admission is free and doors open at 7PM.

League News

Hayward is a restricted free agent, and whether or not the Utah Jazz will match an offer sheet of this size remains to be seen. Supposedly Utah will match any offer, but we'll see.

LaMarcus Aldridge said he would not sign a contract extension this summer, but will do so when he's able to sign with the Portland Trail Blazers next season. At that time Aldridge could [and assuming he remains healthy will] be offered a five year deal worth up to $108 million dollars.

How about that loyalty. Am I right?

This is a link to a Chris Broussard article published at ESPN. There, you've been warned. This column presents the idea of Chris Bosh potentially being enticed by the Houston Rockets to sign a $90 million dollar deal that would land him a spot playing next to Dwight Howard and James Harden.

--

Some hip-hop.

-zb