http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/s...ers/9250096.htm According to Charley Walters of the Saint Paul Pioneer press, Hassell is likely not coming back to Minnesota. Article below. What are your thoughts?? DON'T PRINT THAT ? It appears unlikely the Timberwolves will match Portland's $27 million, six-year offer sheet for restricted free agent Trenton Hassell. ? University of Minnesota men's basketball assistants have been in Las Vegas, where 700 AAU teams from across the country competed last weekend. Among the players was 6-6 Joey Shaw, who will be a senior this fall at Deer Valley High in Glendale, Ariz. Minnesota has offered a tender to Shaw, whose sister is married to Vikings receiver Nate Burleson, whose brother Kevin played basketball for the Gophers.
I can see why they wouldnt match it. It is such a huge contract and would in fact be over paying for him imo. I think they now need to focus on looking at the free agent market or trade possibilities to replace his lose to the team if in fact they dont match it. A guy I would like to see trageted is darius miles who really improved his game last season when he was traded to the blazers and with there aquirement of hassel if it isnt matched he becomes expendable we have more money to offer him then the other team who is targeting him the nuggets do I believe dont we still have the full MLE while the nuggets have only 2 million?
Another great article about weather the wolves should match hassels offer. Also it expresses hudsons frustration with his contract situation still not finalized. It is a good read to pass time. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">As expected, free-agent guard Trenton Hassell signed a six-year, $27 million offer sheet from the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday. Now it's up to Timberwolves officials to decide if they are willing to spend that much to keep him. The Wolves have 15 days to match Portland's offer in order to keep Hassell, a restricted free agent who proved to be a valuable contributor in 2003 while earning the third-year minimum salary of $638,679. "Obviously they don't want to lose a player like Trent Hassell, but on the other hand they have to address what's best for them," Trail Blazers General Manager John Nash told the Associated Press. Kevin McHale, Wolves vice president of basketball operations, was not available for comment, but the price tag might be too steep for a team that had the NBA's fourth-highest payroll this past season. Hassell's agent, Mark Bartelstein, said the Wolves have not indicated whether they will match the offer. "Trenton feels really good either way," Bartelstein said. "We'll just have to wait and see how it plays out. Trenton just felt like this was the right time to make a decision." Meanwhile, the agent for Wolves guard Troy Hudson expressed some frustration Monday that his client's contract situation remains unresolved, but he said the deal should be finalized in the next few days. Bill Neff said the contract, believed to be worth $37 million over six years, continues to be held up by language that would take into account concerns over Hudson's problematic right ankle. The two sides agreed to a deal in principle two weeks ago, but it hit a snag. "We tried to be creative so that the contract would be a good deal for both sides," Neff said. "It's been frustrating that it has taken so long, but I think everyone is working to try and finish it." Neff said the sides still need to resolve differences over the injury clause. Neff said he agreed to a deal that would give the team financial relief if Hudson has more problems with his ankle and does not appear in more than 65 games. Hudson injured his ankle in the preseason and appeared in only 29 games before undergoing season-ending surgery. Neff said the team wants a games-lost clause that encompasses all injuries, not only with his ankle.</div>
I'm sure that they wont match the offer. It's not smart to pay that much for Hassel, he's just not worth it. There are more practical things for the Wolves to do with that much money. Hassel is obviously very important to the Blazers and it's pretty obvious they will get him. If Hassel really wanted to stay he would have been a little more reasonable in the terms of $ and stayred in Minnesota from the start. Hes gone.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting KG-MVP:</div><div class="quote_post">I'm sure that they wont match the offer. It's not smart to pay that much for Hassel, he's just not worth it. There are more practical things for the Wolves to do with that much money. Hassel is obviously very important to the Blazers and it's pretty obvious they will get him. If Hassel really wanted to stay he would have been a little more reasonable in the terms of $ and stayred in Minnesota from the start. Hes gone.</div> I dont think he nessecarly wanted to leave the wolves or he didnt like want to be here, but he is not a vet like hoiberg yet he is not as mature as hoiberg is. He is still rather young and tring to get as much money as he possibly can. That is why at first he demanded the full MLE, but then settled for some were in the middle of what teams thought he was worth and the full MLE. He doesnt have the mature attitude that hoiberg did to understand what a team could offer you that you really wanted to stay with and bring your price down to that price so you can stay with the team.Though the wolves can still match hassels offer since it starts at under 4.9 million I dont think they will basically because the way I see it if our GM is so quick to open his mouth over were malone will sign. He would have been quick to announce that we would resign hassel if he was truly planning to do so. I dont know who the wolves will sign to take hassels place in the lineup possible aquire another young guy who can be a good defender. Put the chances of hassel returning to minnesota in my mind are slim very very slim.
