The Philadelphia 76ers are close to making to a minor deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves in their effort to create enough salary cap space to entice free agents, an NBA source told the Associated Press on Tuesday.
The source, speaking on condition of anonymity because the NBA's trade moratorium doesn't lift until Wednesday, said Philadelphia will send forward Rodney Carney, little-used centre Calvin Booth and a future first-round pick to Minnesota for a trade exception worth an estimated $2.8 million dollars.
"The only thing I can share with you is that Calvin's contract will be traded to Minnesota tomorrow," said Booth's agent, Mark Termini.
Carney, 22, was taken 16th overall by the Chicago Bulls in 2006 and was shipped to Philadelphia shortly after the draft. He averaged 5.8 points and 2.1 rebounds in just under 15 minutes per game for the 76ers last season.
If the deal goes through, Philadelphia would have nearly $14 million US in salary cap space, which the team could use to lure free agents like forwards Elton Brand and Josh Smith.
Brand, 29, is coming off an injury-plagued season with the Los Angeles Clippers, but he opted out of the final year of his six-year, $82-million US deal in an effort to secure a longer-term contract on the open market. The power forward has averaged just over 20 points and 10 rebounds per game in nine NBA seasons, and previous reports have linked him to Philadelphia.
Smith, 22, has blossomed into an athletic wing player with the Atlanta Hawks and has shown flashes of dominance at both ends of the court. Drafted 18th overall in the 2004 draft, Smith posted averages of 17.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.8 blocks in 81 games with the Hawks last season. The six-foot-nine, 235-pound forward met with 76ers officials last week, but the restricted free agent was not presented with an offer sheet.
The Hawks have the right to match any offer made to Smith due to his status as a restricted free agent, but they may not be inclined to do so if the Sixers make a substantial offer.
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