S. Livingston down to 3 teams, MIN one of them

[dockingsched]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=A ... &type=lgns

Free-agent guard Shaun Livingston, fighting back from a devastating knee injury, had private workouts with the Portland Trail Blazers and Minnesota Timberwolves in the past 48 hours and league sources expect him to sign with one of three teams next week.

Livingston worked out in Portland on Friday, and two league sources believed the Blazers are the favorites to sign the ex-Los Angeles Clippers guard. Still, it is unclear whether Portland general manager Kevin Pritchard has been convinced enough to add yet another guaranteed contract to his roster.

Minnesota executives Jim Stack, Fred Hoiberg and coach Randy Wittman traveled to Chicago on Thursday to watch Livingston at Tim Grover’s Attack Athletics facility. The Wolves, sources said, were sold on the workout and want to sign him.

The Miami Heat are still in strong contention for Livingston, a 6-foot-7 point guard.

League executives who’ve watched him estimate his return to full strength at anywhere from 70 to 85 percent. He has shown some of his old explosion in workouts but has tired easily and clearly needs more time to build back the strength in that knee. Signing him would be an investment for the future, with few short-term returns.

“I don’t think you’ll get anything out of him this year,” one NBA executive said. “He’s going to need a year to adjust.”

[Vega06]

Interesting....If healthy he could be the perfect guy to let Foye play the 2

[TheYounGunz]

I'd like the move a lot. Low risk/High Reward


I really hope he sees the light though. He would just be in a logjam there in Portland.

[Calinks]

I think its a great idea. But if Portland seriously wants him its over, he's taking off to the Blazers. Team is stacked. How many times has Minnesota won out in these FA competitions. We always end up being top two and then we get the shaft.

Remember when KG and Glen Taylor flew out to visit Finley? Then he signed with SA. The only dude that came here was Mike James and although it was awesome that he chose us at the time that didn't work out either.

what happens is:

1. Livingston signs with the Blazers and becomes a beast and has great success.

2. Livingston signs with the Wolves, is never able to get back to where he was and whittles away his career off of our contract.

[TheYounGunz]

I think its a great idea. But if Portland seriously wants him its over, he's taking off to the Blazers. Team is stacked. How many times has Minnesota won out in these FA competitions. We always end up being top two and then we get the shaft.

Remember when KG and Glen Taylor flew out to visit Finley? Then he signed with SA. The only dude that came here was Mike James and although it was awesome that he chose us at the time that didn't work out either.

what happens is:

1. Livingston signs with the Blazers and becomes a beast and has great success.

2. Livingston signs with the Wolves, is never able to get back to where he was and whittles away his career off of our contract.

Livingston is going to have to go up against Bayless/Fernandez/Blake/Rodriguez so it's not going to be that easy

[Wingman]

I would think Livingston would rather come here. Most young guys want playing time for a chance to earn a big contract, and he'd have a much better chance at that here. If he wants wins he would go to Portland, but that team is so stacked they will have trouble signing all of the talent they have now.

[wolves_fan_82au]

This would be great

C-Jefferson/Collins/Booth
PF-Love/Smith/Madsen
SF-Miller/Gomes/Brewer/Cardinal/Carney
SG-Foye/Mccants
PG-Livingston/Telfair

this would mean we dont re-sign richard though

btw we could have 4 draft picks next year how do they fit into our team with no roster spaces left ???

[shrink]

I would think Livingston would rather come here. Most young guys want playing time for a chance to earn a big contract, and he'd have a much better chance at that here.

I was about to post the same thing. I don't think passing Telfair for the #2 spot seems nearly as imposing as passing all of those hyped POR players. Even if he got a decent amount of playing time, he's still going to be the fifth option when he's out on the floor.

Two other things are appealing here:

First, McHale opined that he missed having that big guy that can play PG, and multiple positions because they are so useful. I think he was missing Jaric, who could have been a useful (albeit "overpaid") guy for our team, just like last year, but a 6' 7" Livingston has to have some appeal.

Second, even if Livingston chose Portland, their roster is not only stacked with PG's, they'll struggle to make the 15-man roster limit. At PG, they already have Steve Blake Jerryd Bayless Sergio Rodriguez, so adding Livingston, I imagine, is just to sit on an asset and never play him. POR is in a difficult, but encouraging position that they have so much young, uber-talented youth, that they have paralysis about moving any of it, but roster/playing time concerns might force their hand. To be honest, I wouldn't mind adding any of POR's PG.

Finally, I don't want to get too excited. He was simply released, not traded, from LAC, and that indicates to me that the knee problems are so severe, nobody would give them anything for him. I'm all for taking a flier on the guy, but if we don't get him, its not the end of the world here.

[deeney0]

I think its a great idea. But if Portland seriously wants him its over, he's taking off to the Blazers. Team is stacked. How many times has Minnesota won out in these FA competitions. We always end up being top two and then we get the shaft.

Mike James

[Calinks]

I mentioned Mike James and good points Shrink

[theGreatRC]

The signing of Livingston does two things for us.

1) Gives us an experienced player, although injury prone, can still play the PG position better than anyone we have now.

2) It opens up possibilities for Foye and makes it much easier on him. He can play his natural 2 spot and play to his strengths(score), and he can also slowly come into the PG position if we aren't keeping Livingston long term.

[JBoog35]

Livingston will need a ton of time just to get back into it. He, if healthy, wouldn't get a ton of PT until maybe after the All-Star break. So all this, we can move Foye to the 2 talk is a little premature. He wouldn't be able to settle into a role until damn near the end of the season. So, yes, if he's healthy, if he signs, if he plays well, then yes, maybe he could play next to Foye... Right now though, this seems like a McHale type move.

[jdub114]

The signing of Livingston does two things for us.

1) Gives us an experienced player, although injury prone, can still play the PG position better than anyone we have now.

2) It opens up possibilities for Foye and makes it much easier on him. He can play his natural 2 spot and play to his strengths(score), and he can also slowly come into the PG position if we aren't keeping Livingston long term.

He is not better than Bassy!

[Mattya]

This is a great deal if the wolves get it. Its low risk, he is young hopefully he could come back from his knee injury and show some growth in his skills. Worst case he sits on the bench and can't play, best case, with his potential if he could come back from that injury he probably could start.


I think the best option for him would probably be in Miami. Not as great of point guard comptetion there(Chalmers, Quinn?), fun town.

I would be pretty excited about this if we land him, i really liked his potential.

Foye, Telfair, Livingston
McCants, Brewer, Carney
Miller, Gomes, Cardinal
Love, Smith
Jefferson, Collins, Mad Dog

and hopefully Livingston just blows us away, less likely, but there is a chance, same with telfaire, these guys are so young, Chaunce Billups, Steve Nash, point gaurds take a while to develope and learn the game, just like centers

again I think Miami would be the most likely situation, at least if I were him thats were I would go. Clubs, Women, Beachs, Celebrities, Dwanye Wade, Beasley.

[Tirion]

The signing of Livingston does two things for us.

1) Gives us an experienced player, although injury prone, can still play the PG position better than anyone we have now.

2) It opens up possibilities for Foye and makes it much easier on him. He can play his natural 2 spot and play to his strengths(score), and he can also slowly come into the PG position if we aren't keeping Livingston long term.

He is not better than Bassy!

He is.

[GOBlazers]

Livingston will need a ton of time just to get back into it. He, if healthy, wouldn't get a ton of PT until maybe after the All-Star break. So all this, we can move Foye to the 2 talk is a little premature. He wouldn't be able to settle into a role until damn near the end of the season. So, yes, if he's healthy, if he signs, if he plays well, then yes, maybe he could play next to Foye... Right now though, this seems like a McHale type move.

Your right, until near the end of the season, or early next season, expect Livingston to be riding the bench as a third string pg, only playing if needed due to injury. We in portland are definitely intrigued though. I don't think it will happen, though, unless Pritchard has a consolidation trade he knows he can execute.

League executives who’ve watched him estimate his return to full strength at anywhere from 70 to 85 percent. He has shown some of his old explosion in workouts but has tired easily and clearly needs more time to build back the strength in that knee. Signing him would be an investment for the future, with few short-term returns.

[Foye]

Since we have no chance of contending we can afford to give Livingston a chance...

I liked him a lot when he was healthy and I hope he will join a team that helps him to come back to full strength....he could be a steal if he regains his old game ;=)

[Tekkenlaw]

I really want the wolves to get him, he is one of my favorite young players and he would get little playing time on the Blazers. He would be of a lot more value to the wolves too.

[Frozen316]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaun_Livi ... lar_season See the 2008-09 season stats and the team?

I'm conflicted because I like Shaun and Sebastian. So
We would have great guard/sf depth though.

[Winter Wonder]

For the right price and a two year or third year team option type of deal it would be ideal. He is what the front office indicated they were looking for after the Draft day trade. Don't expect much, if any, contributions on the court this year.