Timberwolves get screwed!

[Jim Hill <jahill@leasingservice.com>]

Timberwolves are dead if this is true.  They won't keep Garnett without the
first rounders and their contracts.

I dont agree with what the Timberwolves did but this is too harsh.  It hurts
the whole league.  Also, after all the tampering that went on last year this
just seems over the top.

Also NBATalk.com is reporting that McHale will step down.

<Jim

    

STERN DIRECTS FORFEITURE OF DRAFT PICKS, FINES TEAM $3.5 MILLION, VOIDS
CONTRACTS
NBA Punishes Timberwolves
for Secret Deal with Smith



NEW YORK, Oct. 25 ‹ The National Basketball Association today announced that
Commissioner David Stern has taken the following actions based upon an
arbitrator's ruling on Monday that the Minnesota Timberwolves, Joe Smith,
and agent Eric Fleisher entered into a secret agreement in violation of the
NBA's salary cap rules:
 
*    directed the forfeiture of Minnesota's own first-round draft picks in
the 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 NBA Drafts;
*    fined the team $3.5 million; and
*    voided the player contract between Smith and the Timberwolves for the
2000-01 season, along with all contracts previously entered into by Smith
and the team. 

In addition to these penalties, the Collective Bargaining Agreement also
authorizes the Commissioner to suspend team personnel who were involved in
the making of the secret agreement. Those suspensions will be determined
after subsequent proceedings before the arbitrator.

The NBA has also requested that, as required by the CBA, the Players
Association impose appropriate discipline on Mr. Fleisher for his violation
of the salary cap rules.