Former Michigan State guard Drew Neitzel was awake long after he
learned that he wasn’t one of the 60 players selected in the 2008 NBA
Draft on Thursday night.
learned that he wasn’t one of the 60 players selected in the 2008 NBA
Draft on Thursday night.
Neitzel was on the phone with his agent, Doug Neustadt, and multiple
NBA teams looking to give him a free agent deal – and before he went to
bed, he’d signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He’ll participate in
the Timberwolves’ summer league in Las Vegas from July 11-20.
NBA teams looking to give him a free agent deal – and before he went to
bed, he’d signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He’ll participate in
the Timberwolves’ summer league in Las Vegas from July 11-20.
Mike Trudell/Timberwolves site talks to David Aldridge about the trade:
There are trades like Joe Barry Carroll for (Robert) Parish and (the
draft choice used on Kevin McHale) that are kind of at another level,
but this is as good of a trade as I’ve seen in this league in a number
of years. Draft day or any other day. Especially for a team that really
– in this conference – is in a minefield. You really have to have some
talent to compete in this conference, and obviously they didn’t have it
last year. I think this was a big step towards being that kind of team.
Again, they have a ways to go, but there is a future here. There wasn’t
a future 24 hours ago, at least to me.
draft choice used on Kevin McHale) that are kind of at another level,
but this is as good of a trade as I’ve seen in this league in a number
of years. Draft day or any other day. Especially for a team that really
– in this conference – is in a minefield. You really have to have some
talent to compete in this conference, and obviously they didn’t have it
last year. I think this was a big step towards being that kind of team.
Again, they have a ways to go, but there is a future here. There wasn’t
a future 24 hours ago, at least to me.
From Sid Hartman:
Now that the draft has been completed, Wolves vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale said the attention will turn to the players who were on the roster last year — and the four new members acquired Thursday night.
"We have some free agents like [guard/forward] Kirk Snyder and [point guard] Sebastian Telfair," McHale said. "Depending on after the draft and what positions we fill and where we’re at, we’ll know more.
"I would like to keep … our roster, on a nightly basis, 13 guys. That
might mean there’s a guy in the [NBA Development] League or maybe a guy
or two in the D-League. So we’ll know exactly how many guys we have on
our roster exactly after the draft."
might mean there’s a guy in the [NBA Development] League or maybe a guy
or two in the D-League. So we’ll know exactly how many guys we have on
our roster exactly after the draft."
David Thorpe/ESPN ranks Kevin Love #6 among this year’s rookies (Mayo is ranked at #7):
I know his athleticism and overall physique are in question, but he’s
too tough, smart and skilled not to be an effective player early on.
Thanks to the trade to Minnesota, he should get major minutes. He is a
perfect fit (offensively) next to Big Al.
too tough, smart and skilled not to be an effective player early on.
Thanks to the trade to Minnesota, he should get major minutes. He is a
perfect fit (offensively) next to Big Al.
Over at TrueHoop, Reveille’s Steve McPherson reacts to the trade.
It turned out I only had hope for one night. Waking up to the news that
they had traded for Love, I nearly started vomiting and crying blood —
not because I think I have some knowledge about the players involved
that allows me to say this is a bad trade. If it were any other team, I
might even think it was a good trade.
they had traded for Love, I nearly started vomiting and crying blood —
not because I think I have some knowledge about the players involved
that allows me to say this is a bad trade. If it were any other team, I
might even think it was a good trade.
Instead, I simply saw the hand of McHale in the deal and thus KNEW it was a bad idea…
From The Bleacher Bums:
Am I delusional or after countless draft-day flops, did McHale finally get it right?
Mike Kahn/FoxSports gives the Wolves an "A-" and the Grizzlies a "C-":
Maybe general manager Kevin McHale figured something out. With Love and
Mike Miller coming in the trade from Memphis — to go along with budding
young star Al Jefferson — they’ve suddenly got some nice pieces if
Randy Foye can become the kind of playmaker the need. Either way, it
was a good day for the Wolves whether you like O.J. Mayo better than
Love or not — getting Miller makes it a good-looking deal.
Mike Miller coming in the trade from Memphis — to go along with budding
young star Al Jefferson — they’ve suddenly got some nice pieces if
Randy Foye can become the kind of playmaker the need. Either way, it
was a good day for the Wolves whether you like O.J. Mayo better than
Love or not — getting Miller makes it a good-looking deal.
Sam Smith/Sporting News gives the Wolves a "B" for the trade and gives Memphis a "D":
Drafting O.J. Mayo third overall was not a surprise, although it was questionable because the T-wolves desperately needed size to support Al Jefferson. Then, late after the draft ended word leaked of a huge deal that made much more sense. The Memphis Grizzlies sent No. 5 pick Kevin Love, a hustling favorite of Kevin McHale, Mike Miller and the contracts of Brian Cardinal and Jason Collins to Minnesota in exchange for Mayo, Antoine Walker and guards Greg Buckner and Marko Jaric. Love’s knee has been the source of some questions, but if he’s OK this trade could begin to make the Timberwolves competitive.
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