July 10, 2002 -- Bill Duffy, the agent for Minnesota starting center Rasho Nesterovic, phoned the Timberwolves yesterday to request a trade to the Knicks.
Duffy made his sign-and-trade demand after a productive 45-minute meeting yesterday morning in Manhattan with Knicks GM Scott Layden. They agreed during the pow-wow the best method of getting the restricted free-agent 7-footer to the Knicks is via trade. The other option is signing him to an offer sheet using the $4.7 million mid-level exception, but the Wolves would likely match.

"The meeting was short but very clear," Duffy told The Post last night. "They'd love to have him and he'd love to be here. I think he'd be their best fit, especially in the East because he's a true center. He's a 7-footer and plays like a 7-footer."

If the Knicks trade for Nesterovic, they'd save their $4.7 million exception to go after another big man such as Keon Clark, Jerome James or Michael Doleac, or possibly a point guard.

Duffy said the Wolves gave little response. A Wolves source said no substantive discussions with the Knicks have taken place, but Minnesota is in dire need of a point guard with Terrell Brandon's career in jeopardy and Chauncey Billups close to signing with Detroit. Minnesota also could be interested in Kurt Thomas, who would be playing out of position at center for the pivot-less Knicks.

Minnesota has maintained it would match any offer sheet signed by Nesterovic, which made it seem unlikely Layden, despite interest in the Slovenian classic center, he'd pursue that risky gambit.

The Wolves have yet to make Nesterovic an offer, other than the qualifying offer July 1 to keep him restricted. Duffy said Nesterovic would still "consider" staying in Minnesota and the agent could be forcing Minnesota's hand to making an offer. If the Wolves don't cooperate with a trade or make an offer, Nesterovic can accept Minnesota's one-year qualifying offer and escape next year as an unrestricted free agent.

"We don't want to burn Minnesota," Duffy said. "We want them to be part of the process."

Meantime, Doleac is unrestricted and the Cavs cannot match, making him the easiest to sign. Layden spoke to Doleac on the phone last week. Contacted yesterday, Doleac told The Post, "I'm excited about the possibility. I've never done the free-agent thing. I'm definitely excited the Knicks are interested. It's a fun city to be in."

Two other big men the Knicks have interest in are Seattle's James and Toronto's Clark. Both are restricted, but it's doubtful the Raptors or Sonics would match a maximum six-year, $35M offer.

Regarding the dangers of extending an offer to a restricted free agent, Layden said, "I guess there is a risk, and it's just part of the free agent process you have to look at and weigh accordingly and see if you want to do that."

In his fourth season, all in Minnesota, Nesterovic started all 82 games, averaging 8.4 points, 6.5 rebounds in 27 minutes. He's back home in Slovenia. "There's always players in the free-agent market that could help teams," Layden said.

That is a great sign. We must be happy with that.

Posted by VG:

God I hope Layden doesn't screw this one up!

You never know with Layden..

There's also been trade talk of Spree for Scerbiak and Rasho. I'd much rather do Spree & filler for Glen Robinson and Earvin Johnson & filler.

Exactly, Spree and Williams are two great slashers, Houston is the only shooter this team needs. (Eisley is a decent shooter too, though he didn't show it last year.)