# Wolves Owner Glen Taylor: No free agents will be pursued this year



## JuX (Oct 11, 2005)

> Taylor said there are no plans to spend money to sign free agents this year even though Garnett's big salary is off the books and that he will seek to trade more veterans to free up salary for 2008-09. The Wolves were fifth in the NBA in total payroll last year.
> 
> "We were way over the luxury tax to start out with," Taylor said. "So we'll still be a pretty high payroll team, but I think I'm lining us up that starting next year and thereafter, that we will have flexibility. But this year we're going to be a fairly young team."


http://www.startribune.com/507/story/1344578.html


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## the main event (Aug 22, 2005)

i'm used to getting pist of after reading statements like that..
but now, he's right. we need to clear our current veterans out and that way clear more money and flexabillity to sign players suiting our needs( and the best ones).
i'm thinking though that our run at free agents in the season of 08-09 won't be that long either. think about it, which all-star(that is what will be looking for i hope;not spending big money on average players) will want to come over to this winter of a city to play with youngsters, to a team un-polished, such that just lost it's symbol and greatest player.
what we should be doing with that cash is getting as high as we can with the draft and giving extension to the likes of Jefferson, McCants and Foye,Brewer(all when the time comes).


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## socco (Jul 14, 2002)

I never knew that $2Mil over was "way over the luxury tax". Thanks for filling us in Glen!


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## Avalanche (Nov 17, 2005)

Meh i didnt really expect them too... however hopefully a trade or 2 can be made to get a back up PG and C.


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## Mateo (Sep 23, 2006)

When's the last time we pursued a free agent? Mike James? Who cares!


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## JuX (Oct 11, 2005)

Who cares about you mentioning Mike James? This is a start of rebuilding process and we know how how it really works, unlike some naive basketball fans. They think it's officially the end of a team with some scrubs. No, it's not. This is not the end of this franchise... yet. Let the time do its work and hopefully in the meantime get rid of Jaric & Blount's contracts and most important of all, to terminate Kevin McHale and put Hoiberg in the position.

This team probably won't get into the playoffs for a time being. Like Chicago Bulls - they weren't in it for nearly a decade as they were rebuilding the team.


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## Ruff Draft (Nov 21, 2004)

Do we really need to sign someone?


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## Avalanche (Nov 17, 2005)

i would actually like to see chris richard in the 15 guys we start the season with to see if he can be a rotation guy at the nba level... we dont need to bring in anyone else from free agency to hold the younger guys back.

possibly trade ricky at the deadline, get what we can for jaric and blount but dont bother signing another player outright


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## Ruff Draft (Nov 21, 2004)

I agree on Richard.

I don't think we need to absolutely trade a guy like Jaric. He made things a little easier for the young kids last year even though he is vastly overpaid. I'd like for us to ship off Ricky & Blount though. They wont do much for us, and could be used on quite a few other teams. Hassell floats in between for me. His defense could teach the kids a few things, and he would help. I bet a few teams would want him though.


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## JuX (Oct 11, 2005)

This team is not going anywhere past the regular season, so they don't need to get too involved with signing free agents this time. Like I said earlier in this thread, it is the first stage of rebuilding process where a team have revamped their roster greatly and let them work together for a matter of time before we can make any changes for long-term use. Let Ratliff's contract expires at the end of season and get some cap relief and get strategic with the players. Who to keep, who to get rid of.


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## Mateo (Sep 23, 2006)

My point is that we never signed free agents, even when we were "trying" to win. So this is just par for the course with this franchise.

Also, I would hope that Richard gets signed. Otherwise it was a wasted pick. What's the point in drafting a guy that you don't think is good enough to make the roster?


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## Pimped Out (May 4, 2005)

this is probably a good idea. if you are going to start rebuilding, you shouldnt let mchale sign another player to a god awful contract this summer.


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## jokeaward (May 22, 2003)

Sign whom? Barnes and Knight already signed. We just drafted Pietrus (Brewer).

Now they do need to sign someone next year.


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## Avalanche (Nov 17, 2005)

no one worth signing now for a young rebuilding team, let the players we have now develop


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