Wolves deal for even more size

Lucas Dawson, Getty Images

Nathan Jawai

The team said the trade for the Australian big man was a worthy risk, but not designed to fill Kevin Love's shoes.

By JERRY ZGODA, Star Tribune

Last update: October 21, 2009 - 3:56 AM

DENVER - The Timberwolves played on without their two best players Tuesday night in Denver.

While Kevin Love recuperated from hand surgery in New York City and Al Jefferson stayed back at the team's hotel because of illness more than his aching Achilles' tendon, the Wolves traded for another big player in a move unrelated to the absence of either.

Wolves basketball boss David Kahn dealt a very conditional future second-round pick to Dallas earlier in the day for 23-year-old prospect Nathan Jawai and some of Mavericks owner Mark Cuban's plentiful cash in an arrangement just too attractive to refuse.

The Wolves received money in exchange for giving the Mavs some salary-cap luxury-tax relief, and they get a season's look at a 6-10 Australian and former second-round pick who's big and bulky, two combined qualities they currently lack.

Kahn said the trade was discussed well before Love fractured a bone in his left hand Friday in Chicago. Kahn emphasized acquiring Jawai was a no-risk wager on the future and not intended to fill Love's absence for the next six to eight weeks.

"I don't want him thinking he's here to replace Kevin because he's not," Kahn said. "That'd be a terrible burden on him. With Kevin out for however long he's out, it makes it more salient. But it was not because of that."

Both Kahn and coach Kurt Rambis used the same word to describe a guy whose entire NBA experience consists of 19 minutes in six games with Toronto last season and who already has been traded three times since he was drafted 41st overall by Indiana in June 2008.

Project.

"We're trying to shore up our lack of size," said Rambis, whose two 7-footers (Ryan Hollins and Oleksiy Pecherov) are mighty thin. "He is a big body. He has some athleticism. But he needs a lot of work. We're going to look at him and see if we can improve his skills."

They also probably will need to get Jawai -- who spent some time last season in the NBA Development League -- to lose 10 pounds or more.

The Wolves will give the Mavericks a second-round pick in 2012 only if it is one of the draft's final five picks.

Jawai is expected to join the team in Detroit today. On Tuesday, the Wolves started Pecherov at center in a 129-100 loss to Denver because Jefferson was too ill to play.

Jefferson played fewer than six minutes in the second half of Saturday's loss at Milwaukee and sat out Monday's practice because of Achilles' tendinitis.

Rambis said he is not concerned that the condition will keep Jefferson from playing in the regular-season opener, now just a week away.

"If this were an important ballgame, yes, he could have played," Rambis said.

How dare Rambis suggest Tuesday's preseason game against the Nuggets wasn't important?

"Not in terms of risking an injury, it's not," he said. "I anticipate he'll play again [before the preseason schedule ends Friday against Toronto in Sioux Falls, S.D.], but I don't know how sick he is or how sick he will become."

Recent Timberwolves stories

Rajon Rondo has 22 points, 14 assists in Boston's 107-102 win over Miami - October 21, 2009

Rajon Rondo has 22 points, 14 assists in Boston's 107-102 win over Miami - Rajon Rondo had 22 points and 14 assists in his second straight outstanding game against the Miami Heat, leading the Boston Celtics to a 107-102 victory Wednesday night. More