A source close to free agent J.J. Barea tells TNT’s David Aldridge that the 27-year-old is finalizing details on a four-year deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves, which would further add to that team’s seemingly inexhaustable supply of guards.

Barea, who starred in the postseason last spring during the Dallas Mavericks’ run to the NBA title, took more in Minnesota than in New York, which had been talking about a two-year deal, according to the source. But after using the amnesty provision on Saturday to waive guard Chauncey Billups and dealing forward Ronny Turiaf to Washington as part of the three-team deal that sent Tyson Chandler to New York, the Knicks technically fell under the cap, and thus lost their ability to use the mid-level exception starting at $5 million. They only had the new “room” exception for teams that are below the tax threshold that starts at $2.5 million to offer.
The Timberwolves could be looking for a mentor for their high-profile rookie guard, Ricky Rubio, who finally came over to the NBA after starring in Europe as a teenager. Rubio was taken fifth overall by the Wolves in 2009 but remained in Europe until this summer.

The Wolves already have veteran guard Luke Ridnour on the roster as well.

The Mavericks, who are intent on keeping cap flexibility next season, only offered Barea a one-year deal, the source said. That left Barea feeling “betrayed” after he’d become a key contributor for Dallas the past few seasons and a major factor last season off the bench in the playoffs for the Mavericks, averaging 8.9 points and 3.4 assists in 18.6 minutes per game in the postseason. He shot almost 42 percent from behind the three-point line, and his 22-point, 8-assist effort in the clinching game over the Lakers in the second round so frustrated Lakers center Andrew Bynum that Bynum cheap-shotted Barea in the closing minutes of the Mavericks’ Game 4 series-clinching rout, earning an ejection and five-game suspension at the beginning of this season.

Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle started Barea during The Finals against the Heat, and the diminutive guard provided a major spark for Dallas en route to its 4-2 series win over Miami.

After waiving Billups, the Knicks clearly need help at the point. Their current starter is second-year guard Toney Douglas, though first-round pick Iman Shumpert could see some time there as well this season. And Barea would have been an ideal distributor in Mike D’Antoni‘s high-octane offensive attack.

WTF

Well, I would prefer Ridnour anyway... but that of course assume they'll make a logical roster move

earthmansurfer wrote:I don't get why he would miss the chance to play for a ring here and go to Minnesota where it's quite possible he won't be the starter as Rubio will eventually get the nod due to the hype. This is another example of "It's all about the money." and we are in that group to be honest - but NY is a bit of a sell outside the $$$.

Well, we can sign Williams now I think and maybe Baron Davis when he gets amnestied.

EMS

Good move for Minny and JJ. They should have no problems flipping him to a contender at some point down the road.

Rookie wrote:

earthmansurfer wrote:I don't get why he would miss the chance to play for a ring here and go to Minnesota where it's quite possible he won't be the starter as Rubio will eventually get the nod due to the hype. This is another example of "It's all about the money." and we are in that group to be honest - but NY is a bit of a sell outside the $$$.

Well, we can sign Williams now I think and maybe Baron Davis when he gets amnestied.

EMS

Good move for Minny and JJ. They should have no problems flipping him to a contender at some point down the road.

That was a bit of my point. Why go to a losing team when your future is uncertain both there and where you will end up???

EMS

earthmansurfer wrote:

Rookie wrote:

earthmansurfer wrote:I don't get why he would miss the chance to play for a ring here and go to Minnesota where it's quite possible he won't be the starter as Rubio will eventually get the nod due to the hype. This is another example of "It's all about the money." and we are in that group to be honest - but NY is a bit of a sell outside the $$$.

Well, we can sign Williams now I think and maybe Baron Davis when he gets amnestied.

EMS

Good move for Minny and JJ. They should have no problems flipping him to a contender at some point down the road.

That was a bit of my point. Why go to a losing team when your future is uncertain both there and where you will end up???

EMS

was going for the assist there

smackeddog wrote:I'm no salary cap expert, but could anyone explain why we don't have a trade exemption left from the Turiaf trade? I thought if you traded a player and don't take back salary you get a TE for that amount? No one has said we have one, so I'm presuming they're right, which is a shame as we could have used it to get a 4-5mil player like Luke Ridnour.

yeah, i don't get why we don't have a $4.8M TPE for Turiaf. unless we had to trade that to Dallas? and when they got it, it turned into the $12.8M for Tyson? I don't understand how it works.

but I think the Wolves MIGHT amnesty Ridnour... maybe? can never tell what Kahn is smoking.

crzymdups wrote:

smackeddog wrote:I'm no salary cap expert, but could anyone explain why we don't have a trade exemption left from the Turiaf trade? I thought if you traded a player and don't take back salary you get a TE for that amount? No one has said we have one, so I'm presuming they're right, which is a shame as we could have used it to get a 4-5mil player like Luke Ridnour.

yeah, i don't get why we don't have a $4.8M TPE for Turiaf. unless we had to trade that to Dallas? and when they got it, it turned into the $12.8M for Tyson? I don't understand how it works.

but I think the Wolves MIGHT amnesty Ridnour... maybe? can never tell what Kahn is smoking.

I think they are on pace to get 2 more PG's according to their history.
I have been scatching my head for the same exact reason, it just doesn't add up.... about the exempt. Even with no exemption, we should have at least had cap room...