Swingman Quentin Richardson was traded for the
third time this summer, going this time to the Wolves.
(AP Photo/John Raoux, File)
The Minnesota Timberwolves continued their busy offseason Monday, acquiring Quentin Richardson from the LA Clippers for Sebastian Telfair, Craig Smith and Mark Madsen.
The move is curious in that it moved Telfair, the Wolves’ only veteran point guard. With only Jonny Flynn and second year player Bobby Brown at the point, it was speculated that the trade may have cleared up room on the roster for fifth overall pick Ricky Rubio.
However, Wolves President David Kahn was adamant that was not the case, stating in reports that “[the trade] is not a precursor of any sort,” as he left for Spain to discuss Rubio’s buyout. That $6.6 million buyout is the main obstacle in Rubio’s path to the NBA this fall. Some think that such a talented young kid is ripe for endorsement offers, which could help the teen pay his way out of Spain.
The losses of Smith and Madsen make more sense, as Minnesota is relatively stacked at power forward with Al Jefferson and Kevin Love. Smith averaged 10.1 ppg in just under 20 minutes of play for Minnesota and was one of the few Wolves draft picks that contributed positively to the team. “Mad Dog” Madsen was a fan favorite for his energy, though he never averaged more than 3.6 ppg with the Wolves and saw his playing time dwindle over the past few years. Madsen also held the distinction of being the only roster holdover from the Wolves’ 2003-04 season.
The trade also creates future cap space, and Richardson’s $9.3 million contract is up after this season. Minnesota could use that space to become players in next year’s strong free agency class.
In Richardson, the Wolves acquire a veteran swingman who can play shooting guard, a position that currently has only rookie Wayne Ellington’s name penciled in. Richardson has averaged 11.5 ppg for his career and averaged a career best 17.2 ppg in 2003-04. He also shoots 35.2 percent from behind the arc, which while not elite, makes him a serviceable deep threat.
It was the third time this summer that Richardson was traded, moving from the Knicks to the Grizzlies in June, and from the Grizzlies to the Clippers last week. The former Knick cannot be packaged with another player in a trade for 60 days, which should lessen his fear that he’ll be moved a fourth time.
Currently, the trade doesn’t seem to make much sense for Minnesota. After the trade, the Wolves’ roster has only four guards, in Richardson, Ellington, Flynn and Brown; Flynn and Ellington haven’t even played a non-summer leage NBA game yet. While Kahn insists the move doesn’t foretell any future actions, he must not be as shrewd as he thinks he is if he believes anybody buys what he’s saying. With all the disappointment Minnesota fans have experienced regarding the Rubio situation, Kahn knows better than to get anybody’s hopes up prematurely, though he’s also smart enough to be ready just in case something big does happen.
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