MINNEAPOLIS – Brandon Roy is on his way to Minnesota to start his comeback in the same place his career began seven years ago.
The former University of Washington star and Portland Trailblazers All-Star guard agreed to terms on a two-year deal worth $10.4 million Thursday night with the Timberwolves.
Roy announced his retirement in December after battling chronic knee injuries, and the Blazers used the amnesty clause on the remaining $63 million of his deal to make him an unrestricted free agent. But after receiving treatments on his knees over the past few months, Roy is ready to try to resume his career and will sign the offer sheet July 11 when the free agent moratorium ends.
The 27-year-old Roy is returning to the place where it all began, albeit briefly. The Timberwolves drafted Roy in 2006, but traded him that night for Villanova guard Randy Foye. Former Timberwolves general manager Kevin McHale’s decision to make the deal haunted the franchise for years. Roy emerged as one of the bright young stars in the league while Foye languished through injuries and had difficulty making an impact before being traded to Washington in 2009.
But one of the reasons McHale made the decision was concern about Roy’s knees. Roy’s lack of cartilage severely limited him in 2010-11, when he averaged 12.2 points, 27.9 minutes and shot 40 percent from the field.
Roy was also being courted by Chicago, Indiana, Cleveland, Dallas and Golden State, but ultimately chose Minnesota, where he’ll be relied upon to be a veteran presence on a young team while playing brief minutes, at least at first, to maximize his production. The Oregonian first reported Roy’s decision.
Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor, team president David Kahn, coach Rick Adelman and trainer Greg Farnam visited Roy in Seattle last week to make a hard pitch for him. Roy is close to Wolves assistant Bill Bayno, who coached him in Portland.
Minnesota also agreed to terms with Portland’s Nicolas Batum on a four-year, $45 million deal with bonuses that could make the deal worth more than $50 million.
But Batum’s path to Minnesota will be much more difficult. As a restricted free agent, the Blazers can match any offer made to Batum. But his agent told The Associated Press that Batum is hoping Portland doesn’t match Minnesota’s offer or executes a sign and trade.
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