Timberwolves Amnesty Darko Milicic, Aim at Nicolas Batum
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NBA via Minnesota Timberwolves(NEW YORK) — For free agency, the Minnesota Timberwolves are using the addition by subtraction approach in order to improve their roster. ESPN is reporting that the team will use the amnesty clause on center Darko Milicic in order to make a run at restricted free agent Nicolas Batum.
Milicic has two years, $10 million renaming on his current deal with the Timberwolves. Under the amnesty clause, the team can wipe his salary off their books and wouldn’t count against their salary cap. The team though must still pay Milicic the rest of his contract.
The main reason the Timberwolves want to get Milicic’s contract is so that they can try and acquire Portland Trail Blazers forward Nicolas Batum. Batum is a restricted free agent, so any offer sheet he signs with another team can be matched by Portland. Minnesota’s offer sheet was said to be in the range of four-years for $45 million.
The 27-year old Milicic has spent the past two sesons in Minnesota, and was the team’s starting center for a majority of that time. He averaged 4.6 points and 3.3 rebounds per game last season.
Batum, 23, has spent all four seasons of his NBA career with Portland. This past season he averaged 13.9 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.
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