Timberwolves sign G Mike James

[IE]

(Ticker) - Mike James, the best point guard among free agents, reportedly agreed Tuesday with the Minnesota Timberwolves on a four-year contract.

ESPN.com, citing unidentified NBA sources, reported James will sign a four-year, $25 million contract, selecting the Timberwolves over the Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets.

According to the report, James chose the Wolves because they offered a four-year deal while the Mavericks and Rockets offered just three years.
The Timberwolves are trying to surround superstar Kevin Garnett with enough talent to make the team competitive - and prevent him from leaving. After reaching the Western Conference finals in Garnett's MVP season of 2004, Minnesota has missed the playoffs each of the last two years.

James, 31, is coming off by far the best season of his career. With the Toronto Raptors, he averaged 20.3 points, 5.8 assists and 3.3 rebounds in 37.0 minutes, all career highs.

Entering his sixth season, James will move in as Minnesota's starting point guard alongside veteran Ricky Davis or first-round pick Randy Foye. He shot 44 percent from 3-point range, which will help him play off the steady diet of double-teams drawn by Garnett.

The Raptors were not interested in re-signing James after acquiring point guard T.J. Ford from the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Wolves are the seventh team for James, who has averaged 11.9 points, 4.1 assists and 2.7 rebounds in 327 games with Miami, Boston, Detroit, Milwaukee, Houston and Toronto. He was a memebr of Detroit's 2004 championship team.

 

[blgstocks]

I hope he continues with the same numbers hes been getting in toronto, but more likely than not he has already hit payday and will just ride his big mouth to another lackluster season.

 

[DeadPrez]

but more likely than not he has already hit payday and will just ride his big mouth to another lackluster season.

hopefully true cause I hated to see that the Wolves signed him (nugs fan), but I don't see it happening.

Mike James has finally arrived on the radar screen of the NBA and I think he intends to stay there.

I was a big Mike James fan...until the ink dried on his new t-wolves contract :sadwave:

 

[Jayhawk_Thor]

I hope he continues with the same numbers hes been getting in toronto, but more likely than not he has already hit payday and will just ride his big mouth to another lackluster season.

Surprised to see you against this, as I know you are a Wolves fan...

I look at it like this: James will immidiately become the starting PG and be a huge upgrade over Banks/Jaric.

This allows the team to not have to overpay to keep Banks, which they were very prepared to do. Next, it gives them great flexibility to deal Jaric (I read in the paper today that Glen Taylor says 4 or 5 teams have contacted him about Jaric... may or may not be true, but if nothing else they can get his underachieving ass out of here and get a big man with a similarly poor contract... package for K-Mart?). So basically it wipes away the two scrubs that ran us into the ground at the point last year.

McHale must have a trade in the works, because 8 of the 12 guys that the Wolves have under contract right now are guards (1 and 2's), and I dont think that even includes Foye.

If they could somehow swing the rumored trade of Blount and Jaric for Martin, this team is definately playoff caliber, and might even be able to make some noise with a lineup that would look like this:

C- Griffin
PF- Martin
SF- Garnett
SG- Davis
PG- James

Bench- Foye, Hudson, Hassell, Mad Dog Madsen, (Miscellaneous free agent big man added with the low level exception)

Definate playoff team, there.

Will be very interesting to see McHale's next move. He is notoriously AWFUL at trading, so this will be interesting... he has no more 1st round picks to give away, which is comforting...

 

[blgstocks]

very good writeup jayhawk- after reading that, i kinda look forward to james if we can deal the garbage we have accumulated away. I just dont like the way mike james has run his mouth to the press up in toronto, i have also read that he has had disputes with more than one teamates.

 

[Jayhawk_Thor]

Yeah, I have heard some things like that as well...

I would write it off as 1.) He never wanted to go to Toronto in the first place, he was sent off their on the eve of training camp from the team where his home is located (Houston). 2.) He thrives off of his "me-against-the-world" attitude, being undrafted and having to bounce around The League before getting a chance to play (I think he had to play in Europe too). He has a size XXL chip on his shoulder that probably comes across as a false sense of entitlement when all it is in reality is his insecurity... At least that is what I hope it is...

Let's pray that McHale can pull a rabbit out of his hat. The Wolves are one good trade away from being contenders again, which is very exciting...

 

[Happy Hippo]

but if nothing else they can get his underachieving ass out of here and get a big man with a similarly poor contract... package for K-Mart?).

no way the nugs trade kmart to their #1 division rival :nono: we don't want jaric anyway :nono: stay away :scared

and i am jealous of the mike james pickup - think he'll be good with the wolves...

 

[SpursDynasty]

Don't think Wolves will make playoffs even with this move...

Western conference is going to be a battle and nothing is going to come easy for the wolves as they have learned ever since their downfall when cassel left.

Thank you Mchale for keepign James away from Dallas! :142smilie :mj07:

 

[blgstocks]

I think it is going to be a 3way tie with dallas/pheonix/spurs at the top I think houston/clippers/nuggets are in the middle and then i think it is a toss up between wolves/golden st/memphis as to who gets final spots.
I think seattle is garbage, and lakers/Kings havent done anything this offseason to make me think they are going to be playff contenders

 

[Jayhawk_Thor]

no way the nugs trade kmart to their #1 division rival :nono: we don't want jaric anyway :nono: stay away :scared

and i am jealous of the mike james pickup - think he'll be good with the wolves...

The Nuggets will trade KMart to anyone that will take him. ANYONE.

If Glen Taylor is willing to take his deal, it will happen, it is that simple.

You should want them to deal him to us... would make it even harder for us to eventually take a wrecking ball to a flawed team and rebuild, which is what they should have done this offseason before the James signing, IMO.

 

[Jayhawk_Thor]

As for the WC race next year, I agree with your top 6 teams, BLG.

I, however, disagree with your assessment of the bottom teams. I think Golden St. is flawed and will need to make a big move to bring in a super star before they can make the playoffs... everyone is in love with there core, I am not... Baron Davis killed them last year, and I am not terribly impressed with the other guys...
As for Memphis, I think the with the losses through free agency and trades they set themselves back a bit in the present in order to take huge steps forward. West did a great job, but I dont think they make the playoffs this year.

I think the Lakers will fill one of the other two spots, and I think the Wolves will get the other one as long as McHale can pull off a trade (evidently they are looking at two very intently right now... Taylor says they are talking to several teams). It is clear they want to make a big trade, or a couple small ones, and then round out their roster in free agency (as well as hope the Griffin thing goes away).

If McHale cant do it, as is frequently the case, I think the Kings steal the final spot.

Will be interesting though... Wolves are setting themselves up for an offseason of big changes...

 

[blgstocks]

I think Ike Diogu will blossom into a very solid 20 and 10 player this year for golden state. If Dunleavy, whove ive never liked, can gethis shot back that he lost on the draft floor(f i remember he was a pretty accurate shooter at duke) then I think Golden st can contend this year and make some noise. I watched an interview with chris mullin and he said that he is still the best shooter at golden st lol. funny thing is i believe him.

 

[DeadPrez]

I think Ike Diogu will blossom into a very solid 20 and 10 player this year for golden state. If Dunleavy, whove ive never liked, can gethis shot back that he lost on the draft floor(f i remember he was a pretty accurate shooter at duke) then I think Golden st can contend this year and make some noise. I watched an interview with chris mullin and he said that he is still the best shooter at golden st lol. funny thing is i believe him.

contend for what, the western conference title? cause there is no way that is happening. The only thing Golden St. will be contending for will be the 8th seed at best.

Don't see Ike Diogu averaging 20 points 10 rebounds at all this year.

Mike dunleavy is very inconsistent and he only averaged 11.5 ppg last year.

We'll see if Baron Davis can even make it out on the floor for half of the games this coming season.

Mike montgomery is not a good coach.

Chris mullin is dreaming.

 

[DIRTY Diapers]

I think the best thing that happened to the TWolves was drafting R. Foye. He will be a great player in the NBA the first day of the season. Now only if they could find someone who can help Garnett on the inside...

 

[blgstocks]

contend for what, the western conference title? cause there is no way that is happening. The only thing Golden St. will be contending for will be the 8th seed at best.

Don't see Ike Diogu averaging 20 points 10 rebounds at all this year.

Mike dunleavy is very inconsistent and he only averaged 11.5 ppg last year.

We'll see if Baron Davis can even make it out on the floor for half of the games this coming season.

Mike montgomery is not a good coach.

Chris mullin is dreaming.

Well my response was to jayhawk who said he didnt think they would make playoffs so yes i would agree with you that they will contend for the 8th spot or higher.

I agree about montgomery, and sadly i cant think of anybody better on this team that is a better shooter than mullin. He was an amazing shooter back in the day, and unless his game has fallen off completely, I am confident saying he can outshoot any of these boys.