RealGM

HOOPSWORLD has learned that Chucky Atkins and the Minnesota Timberwolves are about to part company. Atkins, who has a partially-guaranteed deal, landed in Minnesota as part of a deal in which he and Damien Wilkins were sent to the Timberwolves and Etan Thomas and two future second round draft picks went to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Now, at Atkins' request, a financial settlement has been reached between himself and the Timberwolves that will result in his being waived.

Atkins will then spend 48 hours on the waiver wire, after which he can sign with any interested team. It's been suggested that the Orlando, Florida native might land in camp with the Magic, though the Miami HEAT might be a more likely destination. The HEAT have been looking for a veteran point guard and Atkins fills that bill nicely. Over the course of his career, when he's been able to play significant minutes, Atkins has been a serviceable starter, and among the better reserve point guards in the league. He averaged 13.6 points and 4.4 assists as a starter for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2004-05, and 13.2 points and 4.6 assists per game as a part-time starter for the Memphis Grizzlies in 2006-07.

Atkins established himself as an NBA player while in Detroit, where he started alongside Jerry Stackhouse, Clifford Robinson, Corliss Williamson, Michael Curry and Ben Wallace until 2001-02. That's when Chauncey Billups arrived in town and emerged as an All-Star, pushing Atkins to the bench. Atkins isn't a flashy player, and won't be the guy who wins games for you very often, but he is a player who has been in the playoffs, has played with some great players, and can make a difference in the locker room. He's exactly what the Miami HEAT need to help Dwyane Wade mentor the young players they have in the mix.

Mcfale313 wrote:http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/61717/20090922/wolves_waive_atkins_blount_likely_next/

looks like Blount is to be waived next, i understand we save money to waive atkins' partial guaranteed contract, but how could we benefit from waiving blount? thanks in advance

shrink wrote:Un-freakin' believable.

Here I was, lauding Kahn, and he's got a nice asset staring him in the face, and he doesn't use it. Atkins was the only remaining partially guaranteed deal that wasn't on a lux-strapped team.

At an absolute minimum, you trade the guy to a lux team like BOS for Scalabrine and $3 mil cash, and THEY waive Atkins.

FOR MIN: Scal $3.4 - $3 mil = $400,000 waive Atkins costs us $760,000. We save $360,000

FOR BOS: Waive atkins -- Save $2.72 x2 for lux penalties = $5.44 mil - $3 mil cash. They save $2.44 mil, and add a roster spot for a player at the vet min.


I follow this stuff as an amateur, but its a deal like this that makes me think I can do a better job. A partially guaranteed deal is a better asset to the other 15 teams in the league that are over the lux than it is to us. We have the cap room.

To me, this is worse than the Jaric deal, because at least they THOUGHT Jaric could play. Trading Atkins was a no-brainer .. cash in the bank.

tvwolves7 wrote:

shrink wrote:Un-freakin' believable.

Here I was, lauding Kahn, and he's got a nice asset staring him in the face, and he doesn't use it. Atkins was the only remaining partially guaranteed deal that wasn't on a lux-strapped team.

At an absolute minimum, you trade the guy to a lux team like BOS for Scalabrine and $3 mil cash, and THEY waive Atkins.

FOR MIN: Scal $3.4 - $3 mil = $400,000 waive Atkins costs us $760,000. We save $360,000

FOR BOS: Waive atkins -- Save $2.72 x2 for lux penalties = $5.44 mil - $3 mil cash. They save $2.44 mil, and add a roster spot for a player at the vet min.


I follow this stuff as an amateur, but its a deal like this that makes me think I can do a better job. A partially guaranteed deal is a better asset to the other 15 teams in the league that are over the lux than it is to us. We have the cap room.

To me, this is worse than the Jaric deal, because at least they THOUGHT Jaric could play. Trading Atkins was a no-brainer .. cash in the bank.

I would agree.

Hopefully we hear why Kahn and the FO decided to go this route. It seems that teams, Kahn has shown this (Q. Richardson). That if the player does not show interest in wanting to play here, they will look to do these type of things as a favor to the player/agent. I could be wrong, but maybe this is just a PR move to not the fan base but to other players that we treat them fairly and respect their wishes. Again I have nothing to back this up and I would have rather seen him use this to help this team then to please Atkins.