Sources: Wolves, Milicic agree to deal
By Chad Ford
ESPN.com
The Minnesota Timberwolves have made a verbal agreement with free agent Darko Milicic on a four year, $20 million deal sources close to the process told ESPN.com's Chad Ford. Free agents can't formally sign contracts until July 8.
The fourth year of the contract is only partially guaranteed, sources said.
The deal for Milicic is extraordinary considering that in February he wasn't playing and said he was giving up on the NBA and returning to Europe.
Timberwolves general manager David Kahn and head coach Kurt Rambis decided to take a chance on Milicic and traded for him at the trade deadline. Within a week Milicic was in the starting lineup and averaged 11 points and 5 rebounds in March and April. Milicic just turned 25 years old in June and the team believes his best days are still ahead of him.
The deal is the second for the Wolves in the first 24 hours of free agency. Earlier this morning the team agreed to a four year, $13 million deal with their 2008 second round-pick, Nikola Pekovic.
With the two moves, the Wolves just spent $33 million to shore up their middle.
The Milicic and Pekovic deals severely cut into the Wolves' cap room this summer. Starting July 1 with $13 million under the cap, Minnesota now has a little under $5 million left to use on remaining free agents.
The Wolves are hosting free agents Rudy Gay and David Lee in the coming days. However, the only way they'll be able to sign either is through a sign-and-trade. Sources say the Wolves will use forward Al Jefferson as the trade bait to both the Grizzlies and Knicks.
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