The Minnesota Timberwolves entered unrestricted free agency with two priorities at the top of their list – add a shooting guard with range and bringing back Chase Budinger.
Within the matter of a couple of hours on Tuesday, new team president Flip Saunders accomplished both of those goals.
The Timberwolves agreed to a four-year, $30 million deal with shooting guard Kevin Martin and a three-year, $16 million with Budinger, according to two people with knowledge of the deals. Budinger’s deal includes a player option for the final season. The people requested anonymity because an official announcement has not been made.
The agreements, which can’t become official until July 10, were two strong moves to address the team’s woeful outside shooting last season. The Wolves ranked dead last in 3-point shooting percentage last year, and Saunders made it a point to get more shooters to complement point guard Ricky Rubio’s slick passing.
Reported by Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press
