<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Free agency update: The agent for guard Trenton Hassell has had discussions with the Wolves, but there has not been any progress in getting a deal done. "There has been open dialogue between the two sides, but there's nothing going on," agent Mark Bartlestein said Tuesday. "We're going to wait and see. It's a day-to-day thing with no timeframe on signing with a deal." Bartlestein didn't say which teams were interested in Hassell, who is a restricted free agent. The Wolves can match any offer up to the midlevel exception.</div> Link (registration required)
I hope we can get him back. He brought a lot to our team last season, mainly on the defensive end and if we lose him to another team, it's going to suck because he was a very good player. Hopefully we can make him an offer and he will take it and he can return to the T-Wolves.
Hassel is a very valuable payer. If no one knew, the Wolves defense was run through Hassel this last year on 9/10 occasions. That's on the Wolves, a team full of stars. Hassel doesn't show up at all when you look at the surface of the Wolves' team, but he a lot more valuable than many realize. On another team, Hassel would be valued not only due to his great defense, but to his offense. On another team, I can see Hassel having regular 20 point games. Hassel often had 10-12 point games, and that's with Sprewell, Cassel and Garnett, which is quite an accomplishment for a role-player on that team. Hassel would be much more than a role-player on most other teams though. Hassel could easily be a starter on lots of teams, and be a top scorer for that team. Hassel has a lot of potential, and he may not reach it by staying in Minnesota. Though I would like him to stay, and he is a good role-player for the team, Hassel might be looking into other teams pretty fondly, and looking at the article , it looks like hes not too interested in resigning with Minnesota. If Minnesota loses him, it could have a fairly big negative impact. The loss of a perimeter-defensive player( which there are so few of in the league) could have a big affect on their overall defense, also because he was usually the primary defensive player. While Sprewell, Cassel and Garnett run the offense, every team needs role-players that can add and extra ten points, it's vital. That's exactly what Hassel did, and he did it well. Hassel was our primary role-player this last season. When the team needed him, he was able to pull up his socks, go out there on the court, score 10 points, and play some exceptional defense. I would hate to see Hassel leave.
I would also hate to see him leave. He is a great role player. And for a team to win championships, you need role players on the team. But KG-MVP, I don't agree that he doesn't look interested in resignning with the loves. I have heard that he likes playing in Minnesota and he likes to play with KG. It just looks like they aren't in a hurry to sign a deal. Hassell was a very underrated defensive player in Chicago but he still is underrated. I still can't believe he only got one vote for the all-defensive team, considering how good his defense is. He has stopped many great scorers. I really hope he stays in Minnesota.
You know what the Wolves have to say to Hassell? "Trenton, we know your real good and your looking at all your options. But you can win here. And we have two aging guards on our team. In a few years, they aren't going to be the guards in charge anymore. It'll be you. The future of this team belongs to KG, Wally, and to you." Because it really does. Hes the next Ron Artest.
I don't want to read too much into this but WCCO-TV played a shot of KG sitting side-by-side-by-side with Trenton & THud at last night's game. Let's hope that KG is lobbying these guys to return & management to sweeten the pot some on them. FWIW, it's in our favor not to make Trenton a major offer. If worse comes to worse, we can match the offer another team makes.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting KG is the MVP:</div><div class="quote_post">Btw, how much cap room do the Wolves have this year?</div> They don't. KG & Spree alone account for $30.6 million against a cap of $42-44 million.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting KG is the MVP:</div><div class="quote_post">Where are they coming up with money to offer Hudson and Hassell then?</div> MLE
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting KG is the MVP:</div><div class="quote_post">Where are they coming up with money to offer Hudson and Hassell then?</div> In Hudson's case, the T'Wolves own his Early Bird Rights. A player qualifies for that after he's been with a team 2 consecutive years or if he's been with a team 1 year, then gets traded to another team & plays another year. In the 2nd instance, the team trading for the player gets the player & his rights, whether it's his Full Bird Rights or his Early Bird rights. In Trenton's case, we'll likely need to use a portion of the MLE. If he doesn't get an offer sheet, we could theoretically offer him the LLE for 1 year. He'd still be a RFA but then we'd have his Early Bird rights & we could sign him to a $3-5 million a yr. contract without using the MLE. In reality, though, we'll likely use part or most of the MLE to sign him.
Well hopefully he will come back. He is a very good defender. That is definitly one of the biggest needs out west. Right after a big man. He will be a huge part of our team if he stays. We will need him more than ever with T-MAC coming out west. Also who nows how many all star guards may be out west by the end of the off season. If we can get hassel to match up with them on defense it would give us a big boast. Hoiberg is a good defender as well, but not as good as hassel. He is a bit smaller than hassel and not as athletic. If both stay on the team it would give us a 1 2 punch on defense as well as a 1 2 3 punch on offense with cassel, spree, and the kid KG. Also if he stays it will help our future ebi to develope his game. He will be learning from a great defender. Also he will then not only be a athletic second option from the bench, but a guy that wont be a liability for us on defense when hassel sits down. Anyway on the other hand if he leaves... I am not sure how big a dent it would leave in the team. True he is our best defender. True our line up is better when he starts over wally. Both statistically and emotionally. Though I think our team is deep enough that if he leaves it wont leave a big whole in our team as other players could step in to fill the void.
