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Lithuania's main sports outlet (like their ESPN) reported both the Knicks and Wolves have offered a contract to Linas Kleiza. However, the report also says that Kleiza would rather stay with Olympiacos.

The obvious reason why he would not accept the offers from the Knicks and Wolves is because he is making more in Greece than the NBA MLE. Anyway, I figure Wolves fans would be interested in this.

http://www.krepsinis.net/l-kleiza-noret ... &comment=y

Can we even offer him a deal before July 1st?

Not officially. We can't even offer Pekovic a contract officially before July 1

If it was true that the Wolves had offered a contract, I hope the rest of it is also true, and he turned it down. I have little interest in cutting into the cap space for another bench player.

It does not say Minnesota anywhere in the article.

"One of Piraeus Olympiacos leaders in 25 years, 203 cm tall , Linas Kleiza and the next season, would like to emulate the "red" ranks.

Lithuanian received proposals from the National Basketball Association (NBA) team, but inclined towards the fact that it is representative of the Greek vice-champion.

It will be recalled that the striker last summer with Olympiacos was a two-year contract, but there is a clause that allows basketball players to oust the world's strongest league in which L. Kleiza has spent four years.

A big Euroleague 2009-2010 season on the parquet after an average stay of 30 minutes, throwing 17.1 points, 6.5 Assists loose ball and carried out 1.3 assists."

Krapinsky wrote:Can we even offer him a deal before July 1st?

NBA CBA rules do not apply to Euroleague players.

Ricky Business wrote:

Krapinsky wrote:Can we even offer him a deal before July 1st?

NBA CBA rules do not apply to Euroleague players.

They apply to the Timberwolves.

Krapinsky wrote:It does not say Minnesota anywhere in the article.

"One of Piraeus Olympiacos leaders in 25 years, 203 cm tall , Linas Kleiza and the next season, would like to emulate the "red" ranks.

Lithuanian received proposals from the National Basketball Association (NBA) team, but inclined towards the fact that it is representative of the Greek vice-champion.

It will be recalled that the striker last summer with Olympiacos was a two-year contract, but there is a clause that allows basketball players to oust the world's strongest league in which L. Kleiza has spent four years.

A big Euroleague 2009-2010 season on the parquet after an average stay of 30 minutes, throwing 17.1 points, 6.5 Assists loose ball and carried out 1.3 assists."

Apparently they made this report up then. Damn it. Disregard this because when I first saw the article it CLEARLY stated the Knicks and Wolves offered him contracts. Now just a few minutes later they removed that part.

Esohny wrote:If it was true that the Wolves had offered a contract, I hope the rest of it is also true, and he turned it down. I have little interest in cutting into the cap space for another bench player.

Kleiza is pretty good though. [EDIT: NM that PER was in the playoffs] The only reason this doesn't make much sense is that we have so many other options at SF. Kahn doesn't know what he's going to do at this point, so there's no way he would have penciled in Kleiza this early.

Worm Guts wrote:

Ricky Business wrote:

Krapinsky wrote:Can we even offer him a deal before July 1st?

NBA CBA rules do not apply to Euroleague players.

They apply to the Timberwolves.

There is no rule in the NBA CBA that prevents a contract being offered to a Euroleague player at this time. The player could not sign it until July 15th. However, the no tampering rules and the no contract talks or offers until July 1st that exist for NBA players do not exist for Euroleague players.

What about for euroleague players whose rights are owned by other NBA teams?

Krapinsky wrote:What about for euroleague players whose rights are owned by other NBA teams?

I don't think there are any rules preventing that. The player's rights are owned, but he is not under contract with any NBA team. I'm not sure on that, but for example last year several NBA teams were openly in negotiations with Childress and the Hawks still own his rights. I seem to remember Childress talking to teams before July 1st.

Maybe another team or the player's agent has to ask permission from the team holding the rights in the cases like this where the team can work a trade. I'm not sure, probably have to read through the CBA rules thoroughly to find out exactly.

Anyway, sorry about this. When they first put the article up it said Wolves and Knicks offered him a deal and now they removed it. So it would appear they were making that up and then thought better of leaving it there. Well, I guess maybe it could have been true and Kleiza's agent asked it to be removed. Who knows. Probably can't trust it though now.