Add the Timberwolves to the Mike James sweepstakes

[NBA Junkie]

I seriously doubt he'll choose Minnesota as his destination. He'll tease us the way Michael Finley did last offseason.


LAS VEGAS — The Timberwolves' pursuit of Mike James is in high gear, and the free-agent point guard said Thursday that the Wolves are one of three teams he's still considering.

Wolves officials had a meeting scheduled late Thursday night to recruit James. But that didn't stop them from getting together earlier in the day in what James described as a get-to-know-you session.

James was in attendance at the Cox Pavilion for Thursday's summer league games. He took advantage of the opportunity to sit in the stands and talk with Wolves vice president Kevin McHale and general manager Jim Stack. James' agent, Bill Duffy, was there, too.

James, one of the biggest names remaining on the free-agent market, was a busy man Thursday. He met with the Houston Rockets and had a long talk at Cox Pavilion with Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban.

"Minnesota is definitely one of my top (choices)," James said. "They have one of the best players in the NBA in Kevin Garnett. I've been a fan of Kevin since I've been in the game. It would be an honor for me to play with somebody like that, because I think he thinks like me as far as how I approach the game, and he would bring out the best in me."

At one point, while Cuban and James chatted in the stands, McHale visited with Duffy at the other end of the arena.

James has decisions to make. The Wolves, Mavericks and Rockets all are interested in landing him. James said he wasn't leaning toward signing with any of the teams, but that was before he was set to get together and talk contract figures with the Wolves later in the evening.

The Wolves appear to be making a serious push for James. Owner Glen Taylor has spoken with the veteran as well. James also talked with Rob Bab , his former general manager in Toronto who now works in Minnesota's front office, on Thursday.

James, who turned 31 in June, averaged 20.3 points and 5.8 assists last season in Toronto. He shot 44.2 percent from three-point range last season and ranked fourth in the NBA.

Teams can agree to contracts with free agents but can't officially sign them until the moratorium ends Wednesday.

[ducks]

they want banks to
banks agent says he is going resign with wolves
see thread in main forum under free agent banks

[NBA Junkie]

It'll be one or the other, but not both. All the Wolves have to offer is the MLE and both would be in line for it.

They could conceivably get James in a sign-and-trade with Toronto. Trenton Hassell has been mentioned as trade bait, but Toronto, reportedly, is not interested, and with the new hand check rules in play, Hassell is not the same shutdown defender that he was a few years ago.

Besides, the Wolves are already stocked with too many backcourt players. I doubt they would sign both. I'm thinking James will end up in Houston and Banks will be back by default.