Wolves Offer Nicolas Batum 4 Years $45 Million, Blazers Match

[key2win]

Agent says Portland Trail Blazers' Nicolas Batum has verbal agreement with Minnesota Timberwolves - ESPN

Geez talk about another overpaid contract. This is the second Blazer the Wolves have agreed to a contract with today. LOL!

Nicolas Batum has agreed to a four-year, $45 million offer sheet with the Wolves.

Bonuses could push the deal to $50 million.

The Blazers have appeared determined to match any offer sheet Batum signs elsewhere.

[leiber88]

Blazers are going to match. Batum is at best worth $8 million, but without him the Blazers basically are Aldridge, Lillard, Meyers, Barton, and Matthews. Won't be seeing them in the playoffs anytime soon with that roster.

[key2win]

Source -- Portland Trail Blazers, Minnesota Timberwolves discussing Nicolas Batum deal - ESPN

Wow the Wolves are pretty sad and desperate. Giving up 2 first round picks and a second round pick so they can overpay Batum. Portland would be dumb to not accept this trade. LOL!

The Minnesota Timberwolves are attempting to acquire free-agent forward Nicolas Batum in a three-team trade with the Portland Trail Blazers and Chicago Bulls, a league source told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher.

Portland would receive shooting guard Kyle Korver from Chicago and two future first-round draft picks from Minnesota, according to the source. The Bulls would acquire a second-round pick from the Timberwolves, the source said.

The Timberwolves will sign Batum to an offer sheet if the deal can't be completed by Wednesday night, the source said.

But Minnesota is trying to avoid the risk of Portland matching the offer sheet by compensating the Blazers the future picks and Korver as a replacement for Batum.

Blazers general manager Neil Olshey said Wednesday the team would match any offers for Batum, who reportedly agreed with the Timberwolves on a four-year, $45 million offer with bonuses that could push the deal past $50 million.

Agent Bouna Ndiaye also told The Associated Press that Batum wanted to play for the Wolves and that they hoped the Blazers either would not match the offer or execute a sign-and-trade.

A four-year veteran, the 6-foot-8 Batum averaged 13.9 points and 4.6 rebounds -- both career highs -- with Portland this past season.

[gladdyontherise]

Vintage David Kahn!

[key2win]

Portland Trail Blazers match Minnesota Timberwolves' offer for Nicolas Batum - ESPN

Portland is stupid. Wolves offered 2 future first round picks or Derrick Williams to do a trade with them to ensure they get Batum. Portland said no and are now overpaying Batum.

The Portland Trail Blazers weren't bluffing about Nicolas Batum after all.

The Blazers matched Minnesota's four-year offer sheet worth more than $45 million for the restricted free agent, keeping the 23-year-old swingman in Portland just like GM Neil Olshey said they would all along.

Olshey made the announcement on Wednesday in Las Vegas, where the Blazers were participating in the NBA's Summer League. He said that some of the incentives in Minnesota's offer sheet, which would have pushed the deal past $50 million, were denied by the league.