Shama: Glen Taylor: Equity Group Not in Place for Wolves Sale

Except they didn't trade the next decade away. Every young core player is locked up for the future.

You need to stop acting like giving up late 1st round picks is somehow mortgaging the future. The Wolves got back to the top of the 2nd round to take a 1st round talent in Miller and he doesn't play. They'll have their end of the 1st round pick this year, yet many are calling this the worst NBA draft class in history.

Unless you have one of the top picks, the NBA draft is a much as a crapshoot as the MLB or NHL. Without Rudy the Wolves are in the play in round again this year. It's amazing how several of you would rather have that over a team that can actually compete for a NBA championship.
I'm glad you have a crystal ball. Like every other franchise, the wolves are one blown out knee and one trade demand from being back in the lottery. You have no clue what this team will look like in 2027, especially if Lore/ARod can't afford to keep it together.

The 2020 draft was supposed to be terrible. It ended up being above average.

I'm amused by your kool aid gulp that Leonard Miller is a first round talent. I was at the game Tuesday night against the Wizards, the second or third worst team in the league. They were missing a bunch of their guys. After basically a year and a half in the G league and garbage minutes for the wolves, Miller wouldn't have gotten minutes if he were playing for the Wizards in that game against the wolves. That's how out of place he looks when he does get on the court.
 

I'm glad you have a crystal ball. Like every other franchise, the wolves are one blown out knee and one trade demand from being back in the lottery. You have no clue what this team will look like in 2027, especially if Lore/ARod can't afford to keep it together.

The 2020 draft was supposed to be terrible. It ended up being above average.

I'm amused by your kool aid gulp that Leonard Miller is a first round talent. I was at the game Tuesday night against the Wizards, the second or third worst team in the league. They were missing a bunch of their guys. After basically a year and a half in the G league and garbage minutes for the wolves, Miller wouldn't have gotten minutes if he were playing for the Wizards in that game against the wolves. That's how out of place he looks when he does get on the court.

You can say that about any team and any year. Minnesotan's are always so concerned about the future instead of going for a title when they have a chance, like they do today. How has that worked out for our teams in the past? We only have the longest championship drought by far.

Miller is only 20, and averaged 20 and 9 in the G league this season. He's also 6'10" and shot 38% from 3. How many players look great that were drafted in the 15 picks ahead of him? Not many, if any. Utah took George with our pick who looks like he could be a solid player, but he likely wouldn't be playing much if he was on this team either, if we would have even taken him at that pick.
 
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You can say that about any team and any year. Minnesotan's are always so concerned about the future instead of going for a title when they have a chance, like they do today. How has that worked out for our teams in the past? We only have the longest championship drought by far.

Miller is only 20, and averaged 20 and 9 in the G league this season. He's also 6'10" and shot 38% from 3. How many players look great that were drafted in the 15 picks ahead of him? Not many, if any. Utah took George with our pick who looks like he could be a solid player, but he likely wouldn't be playing much if he was on this team either, if we would have even taken him at that pick.
You can pick and choose all you want. Jaden McDaniels was a late first round pick. Naz Reid was undrafted. Wiseman and Culver bombed. There are no guarantees going up or down the draft board. In today's NBA you need young, inexpensive talent to surround the big contracts. Statistically, you hedge your bets by having first round picks. The wolves have given themselves no margin for error going forward by trading and swapping first round picks through 2029. Claiming Leonard Miller is a first round talent because the team says he is lacks critical thinking capacity. He doesn't pass the eye test no matter how hard you squint.

Year one of Rudy was a net negative because the team didn't know how to use him and he thought he was #1 in the pecking order. This year he has been excellent, but the playoffs will determine his 2023-2024 legacy. The wolves brought him here to win a title, that's why they paid a huge price. Same with PHX trading for KD and Beal. Ishiba is going for the title and I'm guessing that he will consider those trades a failure if the Suns fall short. Wolves, too with Rudy.
 
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a lot depends on what happens this off-season.

there were plenty of people - local and national pundits - saying that the Wolves will look at trading KAT after this season because they couldn't afford all of the current contracts and stay out of the luxury tax. I don't know if KAT sustaining another significant injury impacts his market.

but certainly, trading KAT would be a way to recoup some of the picks lost in the Gobert deal.
for the record, the Wolves gave up:

unprotected 2023, 2025, and 2027 first-round picks, the Wolves 2029 first-round pick (top-five protected), and Utah has the right to swap first-rounders in 2026.

so the Wolves still have 1st-round picks in '24, '26 (possibly swapped with Utah) and '28. any trade for KAT would likely bring back at least 1 or 2 1st-round picks.
 

You can pick and choose all you want. Jaden McDaniels was a late first round pick. Naz Reid was undrafted. Wiseman and Culver bombed. There are no guarantees going up or down the draft board. In today's NBA you need young, inexpensive talent to surround the big contracts. Statistically, you hedge your bets by having first round picks. The wolves have given themselves no margin for error going forward by trading and swapping first round picks through 2029. Claiming Leonard Miller is a first round talent because the team says he is lacks critical thinking capacity. He doesn't pass the eye test no matter how hard you squint.

Year one of Rudy was a net negative because the team didn't know how to use him and he thought he was #1 in the pecking order. This year he has been excellent, but the playoffs will determine his 2023-2024 legacy. The wolves brought him here to win a title, that's why they paid a huge price. Same with PHX trading for KD and Beal. Ishiba is going for the title and I'm guessing that he will consider those trades a failure if the Suns fall short. Wolves, too with Rudy.

So if you agree that the NBA draft is a crapshoot, then the Wolves didn't mortgage the next decade with the Gobert trade. The Wolves are a great example of not putting together a winning team despite having high draft picks year after year. It doesn't matter if you like Miller or not, that's the type of player they would be drafting if they still had their picks.

You typically need to find a star or two through the draft, which the Wolves have done, then the rest of your team is built through trades and free agency. You don't build it through a bunch of late round draft picks. This isn't the NFL.

Even if the Wolves fail to win a championship this season, it's a top 2 season in franchise history, and they'll make another run next season. It took Lore/ARod/Connelly 2 years to do what Taylor has done only once in the 28 years prior.
 



So if you agree that the NBA draft is a crapshoot, then the Wolves didn't mortgage the next decade with the Gobert trade. The Wolves are a great example of not putting together a winning team despite having high draft picks year after year. It doesn't matter if you like Miller or not, that's the type of player they would be drafting if they still had their picks.

You typically need to find a star or two through the draft, which the Wolves have done, then the rest of your team is built through trades and free agency. You don't build it through a bunch of late round draft picks. This isn't the NFL.

Even if the Wolves fail to win a championship this season, it's a top 2 season in franchise history, and they'll make another run next season. It took Lore/ARod/Connelly 2 years to do what Taylor has done only once in the 28 years prior.
People who understand statistical modeling and the current CBA would suggest to you that it is better to have first round than second round picks. It's not that hard to figure out.

You seem so certain of the future. The wolves were the odds on favorite to take it all in 2004-2005 after making to the WC finals in 2003-2004. They didn't make the playoffs. The Vikings were supposed to go to the SB in 2010 after making it to the NFC championship game in 2009. They didn't make the playoffs. Those are two of many, many examples. Like every other really good team, the wolves are one wrong torn ACL from becoming average at best.

I know you are infatuated with team Lore/ARod/Connelly but Ant, KAT, Naz and Jaden were already here along w/ JMac in a supporting role. That's 75ppg in scoring and a damn good core. Connelly augmented it with one good FA signing (Slo-Mo), one bad trade (Rudy) and one excellent trade (Conley/NAW). Don't pretend he created this team. He augmented it at a very sizable cost.
 

People who understand statistical modeling and the current CBA would suggest to you that it is better to have first round than second round picks. It's not that hard to figure out.

You seem so certain of the future. The wolves were the odds on favorite to take it all in 2004-2005 after making to the WC finals in 2003-2004. They didn't make the playoffs. The Vikings were supposed to go to the SB in 2010 after making it to the NFC championship game in 2009. They didn't make the playoffs. Those are two of many, many examples. Like every other really good team, the wolves are one wrong torn ACL from becoming average at best.

I know you are infatuated with team Lore/ARod/Connelly but Ant, KAT, Naz and Jaden were already here along w/ JMac in a supporting role. That's 75ppg in scoring and a damn good core. Connelly augmented it with one good FA signing (Slo-Mo), one bad trade (Rudy) and one excellent trade (Conley/NAW). Don't pretend he created this team. He augmented it at a very sizable cost.

You seem so certain the Wolves were always going to take a player that can help with these 4 draft picks when very few good players come out of each NBA draft, 1st or 2nd round. The statistical probability of winning now by taking a HOF player today, is much higher than rolling the dice on future players in a complete crapshoot. It's not that hard to figure out.

I am certain that I want the team to have a chance to win a championship, and getting Rudy gives them that chance now. Without him they are in the play in round again, at best, which is why it was a great trade. Connelly took a roster that was going to be stuck in the middle to bottom of the west and made it a championship contender.

You continue to significantly overvalue draft picks in the NBA. You also seem happy to be a fringe playoff team with the small chance that they will make a run someday. You would think after the last 33 years of Minnesota sports, you would learn that's the wrong approach.
 
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You seem so certain the Wolves were always going to take a player that can help with these 4 draft picks when very few good players come out of each NBA draft, 1st or 2nd round. The statistical probability of winning now by taking a HOF player today, is much higher than rolling the dice on future players in a complete crapshoot. It's not that hard to figure out.

I am certain that I want the team to have a chance to win a championship, and getting Rudy gives them that chance now. Without him they are in the play in round again, at best, which is why it was a great trade. Connelly took a roster that was going to be stuck in the middle to bottom of the west and made it a championship contender.

You continue to significantly overvalue draft picks the NBA. You also seem happy to be a fringe playoff team with the small chance that they will make a run someday. You would think after the last 33 years of Minnesota sports, you would learn that's the wrong approach.
Rudy trade was great. And I hated it when it happened
 



You can say that about any team and any year. Minnesotan's are always so concerned about the future instead of going for a title when they have a chance, like they do today. How has that worked out for our teams in the past? We only have the longest championship drought by far.

Miller is only 20, and averaged 20 and 9 in the G league this season. He's also 6'10" and shot 38% from 3. How many players look great that were drafted in the 15 picks ahead of him? Not many, if any. Utah took George with our pick who looks like he could be a solid player, but he likely wouldn't be playing much if he was on this team either, if we would have even taken him at that pick.
George belongs in the NBA. Miller belongs in the G league or overseas.
Rudy trade was great. And I hated it when it happened
You hated it when it happened. You love it today--and it will be objectively worth it no matter what if they win the championship, because that was the trade's purpose. If they don't win the championship, you will hate it again in 2027.

As KAT said when they made the trade, "It's championship or bust."
 

George belongs in the NBA. Miller belongs in the G league or overseas.

You hated it when it happened. You love it today--and it will be objectively worth it no matter what if they win the championship, because that was the trade's purpose. If they don't win the championship, you will hate it again in 2027.

As KAT said when they made the trade, "It's championship or bust."
I dont think I will ever regret it. They haven't had this good of a season in TWENTY YEARS!
 

I dont think I will ever regret it. They haven't had this good of a season in TWENTY YEARS!
No doubt about it. A tremendous year. My point is we are paying a very high price for this very fun year. The ramifications of the price could put the franchise right back where it was.

Was the 2003-2004 year worth the 15 or so years that followed? If the wolves had won the title that year, I'd have said yes. That's not what happened and, while the memories of that year are fond, I'm not sure many fans would argue that the 15 years that followed were worth it. The lack of draft picks, the salary cap and the possibility of under capitalized owners could put us back there.

The Slo-Mo signing, the Conley/NAW trade and resigning Naz at a below market price were very solid. Connelly gets full credit for those decisions. The Rudy trade will be franchise transformative, one way or another.
 

No doubt about it. A tremendous year. My point is we are paying a very high price for this very fun year. The ramifications of the price could put the franchise right back where it was.

Was the 2003-2004 year worth the 15 or so years that followed? If the wolves had won the title that year, I'd have said yes. That's not what happened and, while the memories of that year are fond, I'm not sure many fans would argue that the 15 years that followed were worth it. The lack of draft picks, the salary cap and the possibility of under capitalized owners could put us back there.

The Slo-Mo signing, the Conley/NAW trade and resigning Naz at a below market price were very solid. Connelly gets full credit for those decisions. The Rudy trade will be franchise transformative, one way or another.
Embrace the trade. The picks are what worried me, but odds are one or two would have worked out. The rest would have been busts like Moore Jr. Healthy Rudy is the difference. He is why we have a chance to do something.
 



George belongs in the NBA. Miller belongs in the G league or overseas.

You hated it when it happened. You love it today--and it will be objectively worth it no matter what if they win the championship, because that was the trade's purpose. If they don't win the championship, you will hate it again in 2027.

As KAT said when they made the trade, "It's championship or bust."

Actually I didn't hate it when it happened and have always thought it was a good trade.

If you want to think the trade and this team is a failure if we don't win a championship, then so be it. Then you also believe that Minnesota has seen 122 straight seasons of failure between all 4 pro teams. And you can add many more on top of that when including the Gophers.

I would much rather have the Wolves try to end that streak now, then rely on the very low percentage of hitting on draft picks to maybe have a chance someday, with an owner still in place that has no clue how to run a competitive franchise.
 

Embrace the trade. The picks are what worried me, but odds are one or two would have worked out. The rest would have been busts like Moore Jr. Healthy Rudy is the difference. He is why we have a chance to do something.

Exactly.

You have a limited 🪟 and poof, it can be gone: hellooooo 🦬 Bills.

If you don’t swing the stick, you don’t hit a homer; I’d rather whiff than watch strike three with bat stuck on my shoulder.
 
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Glen Taylor, Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez head to mediation over Timberwolves, Lynx ownership​


A dispute over the completion of a deal that would have seen minority owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez acquire majority shares of the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves and the WNBA's Minnesota Lynx from principal owner Glen Taylor will go to mediation Wednesday, people with knowledge of the matter told the Star Tribune.

The mediation, supervised by a former judge, will determine if each side can negotiate a resolution or settlement to avoid further legal action.

At the heart of the dispute is whether Lore and Rodriguez met the obligations of their contract with Taylor to make their final payment installment to acquire majority control of the teams. Lore and Rodriguez were expected to make their third and final installment of a $1.5 billion payment to Taylor for the teams by March 27, giving them 80% ownership of the franchises. The next day, Taylor said in a statement that the acquisition option had expired because Lore and Rodriguez missed the deadline.

Lore, a billionaire tech entrepreneur, and Rodriguez, the former baseball star-turned-investor, said they secured the necessary funding for the deal and submitted the paperwork to the NBA on time. That deadline can be extended 90 days, they said, if the sides are awaiting league approval to finish the acquisition.

The Timberwolves and Lynx are valued at a combined $2.5 billion.

Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, a New York law firm representing Lore and Rodriguez, declined to comment. The Timberwolves and Lynx also declined to comment. Messages to attorneys representing Taylor, who also owns the Star Tribune, were not returned.

The mediation is likely to take place somewhere in Minneapolis, and Lore, Rodriguez and Taylor are expected to be in the room for the mediation meeting, people close to the matter said.

According to contract details revealed in the 2021 lawsuit against Taylor by a shareholder opposing the sale, Purple Buyer Holdings LLC, the joint company owned by Lore and Rodriguez, and Taylor Sports Group, a company owned by Taylor, have to try to resolve any dispute by first "using a mediator agreed to by the parties." It also says no arbitration demand "may be filed until the parties have completed the mediation."

If mediation is unsuccessful, the parties will head to arbitration, a binding procedure for settling private disputes to avoid going to court. Because the claim exceeds $5 million, arbitration would be determined by a three-member panel. One of the members has to be a retired Hennepin County or federal district court magistrate judge from the District of Minnesota.

Each side can choose an arbitrator for the panel. In the event Taylor, Lore and Rodriguez can't agree on the retired judge selection, a chief judge of the Hennepin County District Court will choose for them.

The arbitration must then be completed within six months, according to the contract. During the proceeding, both parties can bring in evidence, which could include the documents Lore and Rodriguez submitted to the NBA.

The arbitration panel could rule in Taylor's favor, determining he was allowed to say the team was no longer for sale. The panel could also rule Lore and Rodriguez were allowed a 90-day extension and Taylor must sell them the team, or pay monetary damages.

If Lore and Rodriguez win the arbitration battle, they still would have to go through and complete the NBA's approval process, but a decision in their favor would likely expedite the ownership transfer process.

If one side doesn't agree with the panel's ruling, they can challenge the arbitration award in a public court of law, but only under certain circumstances, said Charles Reid, a University of St. Thomas law professor. Under American Arbitration Association commercial arbitration rules, which the contract says the arbitration must follow, a side can challenge the award if there's reason to believe it was won through fraud or corruptive means, obvious partiality, or if the arbitrators engaged in misconduct or exceeded their powers, Reid said.


Howl Wolves!!
 


it has since been reported that the mediation sessions did not resolve the dispute, and the matter will be going to arbitration sometime later this year.

the arbitration must take place within 6 months and must take place in the Twin Cities, according to the rules for this type of procedure.
 

The Athletic: As Timberwolves, Lynx ownership dispute moves to arbitration, legal experts weigh in

Lawyers who have reviewed the sales agreement — but are not involved in the dispute — say Lore and Rodriguez have a strong case.

“If the buyer can establish that it did everything that it needed to do in terms of delivering the call exercise notice and submitting the information to the NBA then section 6.4A certainly reads as if they’re entitled to (it),” said David Franklin, a lawyer for Cozen O’Connor. “Because it’s not a determination. It’s not a 90-day extension that sort of has any wiggle room to it. It specifically says which 90-day period shall be automatically extended by an additional 90 days if all NBA approvals have not yet been obtained. So if the buyer can demonstrate that it materially complied with its obligations to submit the application with all of the necessary information and they were simply sitting at home waiting for the NBA to say yes, then I read 6.4(a) to me that they get the benefit of that additional 90 days.”

The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski previously reported that Taylor has other issues with the process, too, including that the prospective buyers did not hit several benchmarks ahead of closing. Taylor may argue that Lore and Rodriguez did not qualify for the extension because they have not yet undergone a final review from the Board of Governors’ finance committee or received a letter of approval or a vote from the full board.

Ryan Davis, a partner at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, cautioned that the circumstances that led to the disagreement will prove to be very important. Lore and Rodriguez will need to establish that they complied with the agreement terms and if there were any problems they weren’t significant enough to undo the deal.

“On its face, it sure appears to me like the automatic extension would apply,” Davis said. “But if another condition had failed to be satisfied, if the NBA had said we’re not going to approve it, if another relevant party that had an approval right said we’re not going to approve it, that could make the extension unnecessary because it would be impossible to satisfy all the conditions anyway. It’s a highly facts-and-circumstances kind of test here. On its face, 6.4(a) of this agreement sure reads to me as though there’s a very strong argument for extension based on the specific language in this agreement. However, there must be some basis upon which the sellers are arguing it doesn’t apply.”

NBA commissioner Adam Silver said last month that the NBA would stay out of the dispute. That leaves Lore, Rodriguez and Taylor to settle this through the proceeding that has been laid out in the sales agreement. Because mediation did not work, as was likely to be the case, they are on to arbitration.

That three-person arbitration panel will include one lawyer approved by each side who has not represented one of the two sides before and a retired Hennepin County or magistrate judge from the United States District Court in Minnesota. The chief judge of the Hennepin County District Court would appoint that retired judge if the two sides can’t agree on one.

Lore and Rodriguez have said Taylor is now trying to get out of their deal because of “seller’s remorse.” The Timberwolves are having a season that might just end up becoming the best he’s seen in his three decades as the team’s owner.

Also noteworthy is the money behind the deal. Taylor agreed to sell the team for $1.5 billion, which is now believed to be below market value for the franchise as prices for NBA teams have jumped over the last few years. The Phoenix Suns and Mercury were sold at a $4 billion valuation last year. The Milwaukee Bucks were valued at $3.5 billion in a 2023 sale and the Charlotte Hornets went for $3 billion. One sports investment banker who has reviewed the transaction documents believed Taylor could get more than $3 billion for the team if it went to the NBA Finals.

“I see this as an uphill battle for Taylor,” the investment banker said of Taylor proclaiming the team is no longer for sale, “but something that might make sense for him to have potential asymmetric upside if he can either prevail or find a way to get a settlement or a higher number.”


Howl Wolves!!
 

The Athletic: As Timberwolves, Lynx ownership dispute moves to arbitration, legal experts weigh in

Lawyers who have reviewed the sales agreement — but are not involved in the dispute — say Lore and Rodriguez have a strong case.

“If the buyer can establish that it did everything that it needed to do in terms of delivering the call exercise notice and submitting the information to the NBA then section 6.4A certainly reads as if they’re entitled to (it),” said David Franklin, a lawyer for Cozen O’Connor. “Because it’s not a determination. It’s not a 90-day extension that sort of has any wiggle room to it. It specifically says which 90-day period shall be automatically extended by an additional 90 days if all NBA approvals have not yet been obtained. So if the buyer can demonstrate that it materially complied with its obligations to submit the application with all of the necessary information and they were simply sitting at home waiting for the NBA to say yes, then I read 6.4(a) to me that they get the benefit of that additional 90 days.”

The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski previously reported that Taylor has other issues with the process, too, including that the prospective buyers did not hit several benchmarks ahead of closing. Taylor may argue that Lore and Rodriguez did not qualify for the extension because they have not yet undergone a final review from the Board of Governors’ finance committee or received a letter of approval or a vote from the full board.

Ryan Davis, a partner at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, cautioned that the circumstances that led to the disagreement will prove to be very important. Lore and Rodriguez will need to establish that they complied with the agreement terms and if there were any problems they weren’t significant enough to undo the deal.

“On its face, it sure appears to me like the automatic extension would apply,” Davis said. “But if another condition had failed to be satisfied, if the NBA had said we’re not going to approve it, if another relevant party that had an approval right said we’re not going to approve it, that could make the extension unnecessary because it would be impossible to satisfy all the conditions anyway. It’s a highly facts-and-circumstances kind of test here. On its face, 6.4(a) of this agreement sure reads to me as though there’s a very strong argument for extension based on the specific language in this agreement. However, there must be some basis upon which the sellers are arguing it doesn’t apply.”

NBA commissioner Adam Silver said last month that the NBA would stay out of the dispute. That leaves Lore, Rodriguez and Taylor to settle this through the proceeding that has been laid out in the sales agreement. Because mediation did not work, as was likely to be the case, they are on to arbitration.

That three-person arbitration panel will include one lawyer approved by each side who has not represented one of the two sides before and a retired Hennepin County or magistrate judge from the United States District Court in Minnesota. The chief judge of the Hennepin County District Court would appoint that retired judge if the two sides can’t agree on one.

Lore and Rodriguez have said Taylor is now trying to get out of their deal because of “seller’s remorse.” The Timberwolves are having a season that might just end up becoming the best he’s seen in his three decades as the team’s owner.

Also noteworthy is the money behind the deal. Taylor agreed to sell the team for $1.5 billion, which is now believed to be below market value for the franchise as prices for NBA teams have jumped over the last few years. The Phoenix Suns and Mercury were sold at a $4 billion valuation last year. The Milwaukee Bucks were valued at $3.5 billion in a 2023 sale and the Charlotte Hornets went for $3 billion. One sports investment banker who has reviewed the transaction documents believed Taylor could get more than $3 billion for the team if it went to the NBA Finals.

“I see this as an uphill battle for Taylor,” the investment banker said of Taylor proclaiming the team is no longer for sale, “but something that might make sense for him to have potential asymmetric upside if he can either prevail or find a way to get a settlement or a higher number.”


Howl Wolves!!

As a former rapacious capitalist, don’t leave any 💵 on the table Glenn, get your 💼
 


A-Rod Committed to City, Eyes Site for New Arena​


A chance encounter with Alex Rodriguez at Target Center led to timely comments by the man, who along with partner Marc Lore, is in litigation to acquire controlling interest of the Timberwolves and Lynx. “This team will never leave here. We’re going to build down the street,” Rodriguez said recently to Sports Headliners.

Rodriguez and Lore have been in a pay-as-they-go process since 2021 to acquire the franchises from majority owner Glen Taylor. As outsider investors from the east coast, they have prompted speculation about where the NBA Wolves and WNBA Lynx may call home in the future, with talk about relocation to Seattle and Las Vegas. If the two wrest control from Minnesota native Taylor, it appears a new arena near downtown could replace Target Center as the home venue for the Wolves and Lynx.

While Rodriguez didn’t elaborate on his comments during the brief encounter, multiple sources tell Sports Headliners he and Lore are targeting land adjacent to the Minneapolis Farmers market at 312 East Lyndale Avenue North. It’s not known what plans Taylor will have regarding a new arena, with the 83-year-old owner telling Sports Headliners awhile back to ask the question of Rodriguez and Lore. At that time the ownership transition was on track.

Target Center is the 29th oldest NBA arena, exceeded in age only by venerable Madison Square Garden in New York. Privately financed by original Wolves owners Marv Wolfenson and Harvey Ratner, Target Center was built with a budget conscious approach and opened in 1990.

The facility doesn’t begin to compare with other modern palaces in the league that are creating significant revenue returns for team owners and communities. Technology and other innovations have considerably improved the fan experience at NBA venues since 1990. Customers want to be entertained in every way imaginable—think something like an axe throwing room in the arena, a premier seating section where only fans of the home team sit, high tech gambling opportunities in the building or at a casino down the street. As always, sight lines, proximity to the court and luxury experiences in suites and restaurants draw and retain customers whether they’re spending their own dime or the company’s.

Target Center was built on a small footprint. Because of that and its age, the building is limited in space for the basketball teams and the many other events using the arena. Eighteen-wheel trucks parked off-site have been needed for storage. If the Wolves had reached the NBA Finals, they would have been challenged to accommodate the many needs expected of the host venue by the league office. Target Center is the only arena in the NBA that doesn’t have a path going around the interior space to better facilitate infrastructure.

Land adjacent to the Farmers Market has long been a potential site for pro teams. The United soccer club wanted to buy land in the area and build a stadium. In the 1990s the Twins, looking to escape indoor baseball at the Metrodome, had the area on its list of possible sites for a stadium.

A former executive with an NBA team with knowledge of the Farmers Market area calls it a “pretty appealing” site for an arena. A big challenge will be buying up land from individual owners. Once the word is out the Wolves are interested, landowners are likely to “jack up” prices, the source said. However, because some owners in the area have changed in the last 25 to 30 years, he doesn’t expect them to be as unreasonable as when the Twins were shopping.

The location assets of the Farmers Market area start with the fact there is potentially open land, and the site is on the edge of downtown. Infrastructure including freeways are nearby and the area is served by light rail and commuter train. The site could also be promoted as a link between downtown and north Minneapolis, a connection that politicians and citizens have long criticized as not being in place for the betterment of people in both parts of the city.

It’s not clear whether the Rodriquez-Lore ownership would privately or publicly fund a new arena. Either way politics will play a huge role in whether their dream can be accomplished of building a facility that might cost $1 billion or more.


Howl Wolves!!
 

AFraud and Lore were scrambling to scrape together $1.5-Billion to buy the team. they don't have any money left to contribute toward a new building. and any proposal that expects mostly public financing will be dead on arrival.
 

AFraud and Lore were scrambling to scrape together $1.5-Billion to buy the team. they don't have any money left to contribute toward a new building. and any proposal that expects mostly public financing will be dead on arrival.
Then they move them to Seattle.
 

Then they move them to Seattle.
I think the NBA wants the expansion fee for Seattle instead of a Minneapolis maneuver.

Would Seattle sports fans support ARod who bolted from the Mariners to Texas? More than two decades ago, perhaps water under the bridge.
 

I think the NBA wants the expansion fee for Seattle instead of a Minneapolis maneuver.

Would Seattle sports fans support ARod who bolted from the Mariners to Texas? More than two decades ago, perhaps water under the bridge.
They can usually still get a "relocation fee" for the other owners.

I doubt the average Seattle NBA fan gives a rip about that.
 


Here is part of the article -

NBA says it has signed new 11-year media rights deal with Disney, NBC and Amazon​


The NBA signed its 11-year media rights deal with Disney, NBC and Amazon Prime Video on Wednesday after saying it was not accepting Warner Bros. Discovery’s $1.8 billion per year offer to continue its longtime relationship with the league.

The media rights deals were approved by the league’s Board of Governors last week and will bring the league about $76 billion over those 11 years.

WBD had five days to match a part of those deals and said it was exercising its right to do so, but its offer was not considered a true match by the NBA. That means the 2024-25 season will be the last for TNT after a nearly four-decade run — though not long after the NBA signing was announced, WBD said it would take “appropriate action” and said it believes the NBA has to accept its offer.

“The digital opportunities with Amazon align perfectly with the global interest in the NBA,” Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “And Prime Video’s massive subscriber base will dramatically expand our ability to reach our fans in new and innovative ways.”

We have matched the Amazon offer, as we have a contractual right to do, and do not believe the NBA can reject it,” TNT Sports said in a statement. “In doing so, they are rejecting the many fans who continue to show their unwavering support for our best-in-class coverage, delivered through the full combined reach of WBD’s video-first distribution platforms. ... We will take appropriate action.”



TNT said it continues looking forward to the coming season, “including our iconic ‘Inside the NBA.’”

Under the new deal, Amazon Prime Video will carry games on Friday nights, select Saturday afternoons and Thursday night doubleheaders that will begin after the conclusion of Prime Video’s “Thursday Night Football” schedule. Prime Video will also take over the NBA League Pass package from WBD.

“Warner Bros. Discovery’s most recent proposal did not match the terms of Amazon Prime Video’s offer and, therefore, we have entered into a long-term arrangement with Amazon,” the league said Wednesday. “Throughout these negotiations, our primary objective has been to maximize the reach and accessibility of our games for our fans. Our new arrangement with Amazon supports this goal by complementing the broadcast, cable and streaming packages that are already part of our new Disney and NBCUniversal arrangements. All three partners have also committed substantial resources to promote the league and enhance the fan experience.”

The new package on Amazon also includes at least one game on Black Friday and the quarterfinals, semifinals and championship game of the league’s in-season tournament, the NBA Cup.

“Over the past few years, we have worked hard to bring the very best of sports to Prime Video and to continue to innovate on the viewing experience,” said Jay Marine, global head of sports for Prime Video. “We’re thrilled to now add the NBA to our growing sports lineup, including the NFL, UEFA Champions League, NASCAR, NHL, WNBA, NWSL, Wimbledon, and more. We are grateful to partner with the NBA, and can’t wait to tip off in 2025.”
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The first $100M/year player will be from the NBA. Paging 🐜 Man?
 

my questions on the TV deal - how will this impact team revenue and the salary cap going forward?

I haven't seen any specific numbers. but more revenue would seem to increase the value of franchises, making the ARod & Lore deal even more of a steal IF it goes through.

as far as I know, I have not heard anything on the arbitration process. you would think the league would want to get that settled fairly soon - definitely before the next season starts.
 

my questions on the TV deal - how will this impact team revenue and the salary cap going forward?

I haven't seen any specific numbers. but more revenue would seem to increase the value of franchises, making the ARod & Lore deal even more of a steal IF it goes through.

as far as I know, I have not heard anything on the arbitration process. you would think the league would want to get that settled fairly soon - definitely before the next season starts.
looks like November

 

my questions on the TV deal - how will this impact team revenue and the salary cap going forward?

I haven't seen any specific numbers. but more revenue would seem to increase the value of franchises, making the ARod & Lore deal even more of a steal IF it goes through.

as far as I know, I have not heard anything on the arbitration process. you would think the league would want to get that settled fairly soon - definitely before the next season starts.
All i know is it doesnt help our cap situation because the max contracts are tied to the cap
 




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