How about Vince Carter?

[JMillott]

Free agent once the lockout lifts, could have trouble finding interest after not playing that well for the Suns and would likely be looking for a chance to prove himself again to contending teams.

Not a long term solution but the Wolves badly need a true SG, a wing who can handle the ball, shoot the three, sell some tickets and could prove to be a valued chip at the deadline for a contender with an injury.
I don't see a ton of solutions available who can hope to be better and cheaper. At his age he should only play roughly 30 mins a night and if he is motivated to re-prove himself to contenders he is certainly capable of 16/4/4 and actually makes sense in terms of fit next to all of Rubio, Ridnour, Johnson, Webster, Beasley and Williams.

I'm not completely sold on this idea myself as we all know he is getting old, half-assed it in Phoenix, coasts when he doesn't feel motivated, etc but assuming he wants to play he'd be just about a perfect stop gap solution.

The Wolves don't own their pick so wouldn't it be good for them to see how everyone on the roster plays without the giant hole at SG and lack of a second perimeter ball handler.

It would certainly take a lot of pressure off Rubio to create for everyone. What do you guys think?

[eyeteeth]

Would rather have a team full of Beasleys than one Vince Carter. The man has no game left, and hasn't for years. He peaked very early in his career and has coasted since. He is very simply not very good. No, no, no.

[JMillott]

The guy was still playing good basketball as recently as last season before he was traded from Orlando. I'm not a Vince Carter fan either but I'm also not a blind hater either.

[eyeteeth]

The numbers show he was slightly better than average as a player in Orlando, but the thing that stands out to me is that he was not very dynamic. He is a player that people expect to do something when he has the ball, but he frequently disappoints.

I'm not a blind hater, I just think he is over-rated. He didn't really make a positive impact in NJ, fine, he's not on a very good team. So he gets to go to Orlando and he doesn't really make an impact there, either.

He was amazing as a young man with elite athleticism. Since that faded he's been pretty good at best, and more often than not just plain disappointing. The thing is, he has a scorer's game, but he no longer has the ability to be an impact scorer.

[Foye]

No, thanks.

[bluethunder0005]

Carter gets a bad rep. Quit one time on a team that wasn't going anywhere and he gets labeled for having no heart. He's a little old but he's pretty much the perfect fit for this team as far as being a really good ballhandler and passer for a SG. Wouldn't offer him much or longer than 1 year but he does have certain skills that this team desires and for a team with no draft pick in the immediate future we need all the wins we can get this season, and yes before anyone mentions it he is a big upgrade at the 2 over Wes.

I mentioned last off-season here about signing T-Mac and most didn't agree with it but after the first 15 or so games he was pretty solid for most of the season and stayed relatively healthy. I also wouldn't mind taking a look at him as he is younger than Carter but is more of an injury concern.

[JMillott]

He was more then slightly above average in Orlando, that being said I'm not inclined to heep praise on him either.

Jason Richardson is an average SG, Vince Carter when he plays hard is a good SG who brings quite a bit more to the table. He has a very good all around skill level and is far from being just a scorer.

That being said he isn't what he once was and I fully agree that he peaked early in Toronto and was never as good afterwards because in his first four years he played good defense to go with his 25-28 points and 5-7 rebounds and 4-6 assists.

He may well have peaked offensively later next to Kidd in NJ but his defensive effort was never the same after 02. He played defense in Orlando again but by then he couldn't play hard on defense while still having the energy to be a 20+ point per game player.

At this age/stage if you get a motivated VC at both ends he's only going to be a 27-32 minutes guy and only a 15-17 PPG, 4 RPG, 3-4 APG guy at best but he's capable of doing it efficiently both in terms of shooting and low turnovers.

Now that is exactly what the Wolves need at SG in support of Love and either Beasley or Williams in that they need a third option, a second ball handler and some slashing but still a competent shooter.

I have no doubt that VC could give them that, but I fully agree that what he is capable of doing and what he actually gives don't line up often enough.

If he isn't motivated he just jacks up threes, plays little defense and doesn't create quality shots for himself or others which is what he did in Phoenix last year, in NJ after 06/07 and his last two or three years in Toronto.

My thought process is that if Kahn straight up pitches to him that he can get starting money here play his ass off and generate interest from
contenders and be traded to one of them instead of signing with a contender outright for less money as a backup.

The Wolves get him to sell season tickets with Rubio and get a better read on where they'd be with a quality veteran SG and Wesley Johnson gets a true SG to learn from and practice against. They can use the 50 games before the deadline to view the players in their proper roles.

They likely can pick up a prospect or a pick when they deal him at the deadline too. Plus the fans get to watch an exciting product and actually likely play around .500 ball at home during that time.

[Krapinsky]

I like that you're thinking outside the box, but this one is a little too far outside. Carter is in his twilight. At his age he should be chasing rings. He's not going to want to be here and he's not going to make us any better than an average replacement player. We'd be better off giving the minutes to Webster and Johnson (or even Lee) and developing them. Webster and/or Johnson can put up equivalent numbers and the time we played them would actually generate a return on investment for their player development and overall team chemistry.

[JMillott]

Like I said, this move only makes sense if they are upfront with Carter that this gives him starting money and allows him to play his way onto a contender at that money instead of having to accept backup money and role to play for a contender.

The better he plays the quicker Kahn can send him to a contender and VC can Chase rings without looking like he chased a ring. It gives both sides a great chance to repair their image if it goes well but if VC half asses it, it could prove a total disaster for both of them.

[Krapinsky]

Like I said, this move only makes sense if they are upfront with Carter that this gives him starting money and allows him to play his way onto a contender at that money instead of having to accept backup money and role to play for a contender.

The better he plays the quicker Kahn can send him to a contender and VC can Chase rings without looking like he chased a ring. It gives both sides a great chance to repair their image if it goes well but if VC half asses it, it could prove a total disaster for both of them.

I don't like that logic though. What's more likely to happen is Carter will just not have it any more, or worse be injured, and we'll be riddled with an aging player on a bad contract (see Richard Jefferson) that we can't trade.

[Yes We Kahn]

Like I said, this move only makes sense if they are upfront with Carter that this gives him starting money and allows him to play his way onto a contender at that money instead of having to accept backup money and role to play for a contender.

The better he plays the quicker Kahn can send him to a contender and VC can Chase rings without looking like he chased a ring. It gives both sides a great chance to repair their image if it goes well but if VC half asses it, it could prove a total disaster for both of them.

What? We're going to sign a guy to starting money so he can openly audition for other teams? That's about the most backwards idea I've heard. If he wants to chase rings, let him chase rings. I don't want to commit a bunch of money to him, hoping he plays hard... oh wait, just to trade him to a contender. I think the more likely scenario is the one in bold or like Krap said, he'll be injured on a bad contract which would be even worse.

[[RCG]]

I would imagine this woud be a one-year deal. No need to saddle ourselves with a multi-year deal.

[JMillott]

I was thinking a two year deal with a non-guaranteed third year starting at like 6.5 or 7 million would get him signed without making him hard to trade or too expensive to keep if no good offers came in to trade for him.

Worst case they get stuck with him for a year and a half or should he play really well and be a perfect fit they could keep him for three if the offers weren't worth trading him.

[Breakdown777]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lITBGjNEp08[/youtube]

I don't think he'd be willing to come here, and I don't think MN would be interested in his asking price.

[pumunga]

I'd rather have Iverson.

[JMillott]

I'd rather have Iverson.

You can't be serious, you'd rather have a guy that has been done for two years and has never played the right way that is half a foot short for his position then a VC?

I'd rather re-sign Telfair, McCants or trade for Foye then sign Iverson.

[pumunga]

I like Telfair, McCants, and Foye as well.

[JMillott]

Actually, Foye wouldn't be the worst idea in the world. Don't know if that bridge was burnt in either direction but he would be a better backup SG option behind Wesley Johnson then Ellington.

Only a one year deal too, if only the Clippers would deal Foye and the Wolves pick for Beasley that would be fantastic. Hell I'd even do a Williams for Foye, Aminu and the pick trade.

[Breakdown777]

Actually, Foye wouldn't be the worst idea in the world. Don't know if that bridge was burnt in either direction but he would be a better backup SG option behind Wesley Johnson then Ellington.

Only a one year deal too, if only the Clippers would deal Foye and the Wolves pick for Beasley that would be fantastic. Hell I'd even do a Williams for Foye, Aminu and the pick trade.

I don't like Aminu enough to pull the trigger on that last trade idea, and I don't think the Clips give up that pick unless they get Love or Rubio.

I too think Foye could be a suitable backup SG for us, but he still hasn't played much defense since he's been drafted. Too slow to guard quick guys, and too short to guard average sized guys. I blame the mirrored organs.

[JMillott]

I would rather just deal Beasley for Foye and attach trash like Ellington and Hayward. I just didn't think the board wanted me suggesting more Beasley trading but would love the idea of getting that pick back.