Smith signs 2-year deal with Wolves

By JERRY ZGODA, Star Tribune

Last update: July 18, 2008 - 7:26 AM

He endured last season's 22-victory forced march. Now, Timberwolves forward Craig Smith wants to live the good times, so he says that's why he signed a new two-year contract after discussions with other teams failed to bring the restricted free agent a suitable offer sheet.

"I'm just happy that I'm back," Smith said from Las Vegas, where he joined the Wolves summer-league team and played in Thursday's game against Portland. "We're going to be much better than we were last year. I told Mac [vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale] and [General Manager] Jim Stack that I wanted to be here and I wanted to grow with the young nucleus. We went through a transition, and I wanted to stick it out through the tough times, and the times are going to get better."

Smith, a 6-8 power forward whom the Wolves selected with the 36th overall pick in the 2006 NBA draft, averaged 9.4 points and 4.6 rebounds in 77 games last season and will be the team's low-post scorer off the bench when Al Jefferson needs a rest.

"Craig's only in his third year, and he's getting better," McHale said. "His shot has gotten a lot better the last couple years. He's got great hands and catches everything. He posts up strong and shoots a really high percentage. He can offensive rebound. None of that stuff is going to change."

The Wolves continue to negotiate with restricted free-agent forward Ryan Gomes and unrestricted free-agent point guard Sebastian Telfair. The team also is pursuing trade talks for a point guard, a position at which only Randy Foye is under contract.

"We want to get them back," McHale said. "I told Craig I'm happy to have him back here, not only as a player but as a person. I feel the same way about Bassy and Ryan. They're just a joy to have around. You never know until you re-sign them. We're having meaningful conversations with both of them. We'll try to get something done, but it's a process."

The Wolves have the right to match any offer Gomes receives from another team. That's a route Smith and his agent pursued without reaching a deal.

"We had a couple of talks with teams, nothing really came out of it," Smith said. "So we decided to go back to Minnesota and just talk it out because that's where I wanted to be."