Wolves Getting Jawai: With starting power forward Kevin Love out for 6-8 weeks following surgery for a broken hand and Al Jefferson a bit dinged up, the Minnesota Timberwolves have opted not to wait. With news that Jefferson could be out for the short-term with an injured Achilles' tendon, the Wolves have decided to trade for Dallas Mavericks big man Nathan Jawai according to Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
In exchange the Wolves will send the Mavericks a second-round draft pick. Jawai is due to make $736,420 this season and was the 16th guaranteed contract the Mavericks had on their roster, so it makes sense for them. Jawai will become Minnesota's 15th guaranteed contract.
Jawai, a native of Australia, missed the majority of the 2008-09 season due to a heart ailment. He played six games for a total of 19 minutes, recording two points and two rebounds.
Will he make much of an impact on the Wolves? If Jefferson is forced to miss some time along with Love being out, the team also has Ryan Hollins and Oleksiy Pecherov capable of playing the center spot (Mark Blount is not actually with the team). Pecherov, Brian Cardinal, and Ryan Gomes are capable of playing the power forward position. You get the idea – they aren't very deep with proven talent, not that Jawai is proven in the least.
If Jefferson's injury becomes problematic, the team may have to require Blount to come back, or they may be forced to agree to a buyout because they need the roster spot to add another player.
The pick going back to Dallas is as yet undefined. However, the Wolves hold the rights to Houston's, Dallas', and Miami's 2010 second-round pick in addition to their own (the lowest of which goes to the Oklahoma City Thunder).
In exchange the Wolves will send the Mavericks a second-round draft pick. Jawai is due to make $736,420 this season and was the 16th guaranteed contract the Mavericks had on their roster, so it makes sense for them. Jawai will become Minnesota's 15th guaranteed contract.
Jawai, a native of Australia, missed the majority of the 2008-09 season due to a heart ailment. He played six games for a total of 19 minutes, recording two points and two rebounds.
Will he make much of an impact on the Wolves? If Jefferson is forced to miss some time along with Love being out, the team also has Ryan Hollins and Oleksiy Pecherov capable of playing the center spot (Mark Blount is not actually with the team). Pecherov, Brian Cardinal, and Ryan Gomes are capable of playing the power forward position. You get the idea – they aren't very deep with proven talent, not that Jawai is proven in the least.
If Jefferson's injury becomes problematic, the team may have to require Blount to come back, or they may be forced to agree to a buyout because they need the roster spot to add another player.
The pick going back to Dallas is as yet undefined. However, the Wolves hold the rights to Houston's, Dallas', and Miami's 2010 second-round pick in addition to their own (the lowest of which goes to the Oklahoma City Thunder).
