Gomes goes on Wolves caravan, even without a contract

The forward is honoring a commitment to the Wolves without yet knowing if he will return to the team.

By JERRY ZGODA, Star Tribune

Last update: July 22, 2008 - 10:52 PM

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Ryan Gomes joined Timberwolves forward Corey Brewer on the team's promotional summer caravan tour that hit the road Tuesday in Mankato, owner Glen Taylor's home base.

However, Gomes' presence there does not necessarily mean the restricted free agent will soon re-sign with a franchise that already has brought Craig Smith and Sebastian Telfair back for at least another two seasons.

The team asked Gomes after last season if he would participate in the summer caravan and he agreed, as long as he wasn't a member of another team by then.

"I'm a community guy, so I said yes," Gomes said by telephone from Mankato. "I don't know where I'm going to be yet. I made a commitment and stuck with it."

Gomes' agent continues to seek an offer -- likely as much as the $5.6 million midlevel exception -- from another team that the Wolves would be hard-pressed to match. The Wolves have the right to match any offer he receives within seven days.

Golden State signed restricted free agent Ronny Turiaf away from the Los Angeles Lakers with a four-year, $17 million contract. The L.A. Clippers signed Kelenna Azubuike to a three-year, $9 million contract that the Warriors have until Thursday to match. Gomes said he considers himself, along with those two players, in that next level of free agents down from such stars as Elton Brand and Baron Davis.

Gomes said he is encouraged by the Wolves' offseason personnel moves.

"In a few years, this is going to be a special team," he said -- but added that financial security for his family is his objective. His wife, Danielle, gave birth to the couple's first child last month. They named the girl Ryelle, a combination of their two first names.

"I'm trying to put myself in the best situation to get the most out of this," Gomes said. "I have to look in the mirror and see what's the best possible situation for me."

Gomes might agree to a two-year contract that would keep options open for a team aiming to clear salary-cap space in 2010, when a rich crop of free agents is expected to come free.

Etc.

• Wolves boss Kevin McHale and Telfair will appear together this morning at a Target Center news conference to announce the new contract on which the two sides agreed to Monday.

• The Wolves caravan reaches Willmar today and concludes with a stop in Brainerd on Thursday.

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