NBA Former No. 1 draft pick signs with Timberwolves

Michael Olowokandi was an unrestricted free agent.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Five years after he entered the NBA as the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, Michael Olowokandi sorted out his options and decided to head to Minnesota.
The 7-foot, 270-pound Olowokandi, the first pick by the Los Angeles Clippers in 1998, agreed to a deal with the Timberwolves, agent Bill Duffy said early today. Olowokandi reportedly agreed to a three-year deal worth $16.2 million.
The deal came after the league's two-week free agent signing moratorium ended at midnight.
Olowokandi was able to finalize a deal before former teammates Andre Miller and Corey Maggette. That's because Olowokandi was an unrestricted free agent, whereas Miller and Maggette are restricted -- meaning their former team has 15 days to match any offer.
Practicing patience
The Clippers reiterated Tuesday that they will take their time deciding whether to match offer sheets tendered to Miller by Denver and to Maggette by the Utah Jazz.
Those players -- and several other free agents around the league -- will have to wait until Aug. 1 to know whether the Jazz and Nuggets still have as much salary cap room as they began the summer with.
The Clippers stand to lose at least half their roster if they choose not to re-sign any of their free agents. Included among them are Miller, Maggette, Lamar Odom, Brand, Olowokandi, Sean Rooks and Eric Piatkowski.
Brand has been offered more than $60 million to stay with the Clippers, but has not decided whether to accept. His agent, David Falk, did not return a phone message Tuesday.
While Miller and Maggette are waiting, other teams will still be eager to sign the best of the remaining free agents. A few players will have to decide whether waiting out the Clippers will be worth the risk.
"It will create a quandary, there's no doubt about that," said agent Mark Bartelstein, who represents one of the key remaining uncommitted free agents -- Indiana center Brad Miller.
"Some free agents may have to take what's on the table, otherwise it might not be there for them later," Washington general manager Ernie Grunfeld said.
Locked in
Everyone knew for almost a week that Karl Malone and Gary Payton would join the Lakers. Just moments after midnight, Los Angeles signed the probable Hall of Famers.
Another key player made an oral agreement Tuesday when Minnesota center Rasho Nesterovic accepted a six-year, $42-million contract offer from the Spurs.
Nesterovic wasn't the Spurs' first choice, but they felt he was their best option after Kidd decided last week to remain in New Jersey for seven years and $102 million.
A few other players reached verbal agreements Tuesday. The Milwaukee Bucks will sign Philadelphia forward Brian Skinner and Indiana guard Erick Strickland, coach George Karl said.
Aside from Kidd, Mourning, Payton and Malone, other prominent free agents who have already reached agreement on contracts with their old teams include Jermaine O'Neal of the Pacers and P.J. Brown of the Hornets.
Also, Juwan Howard agreed to terms with Orlando and Scottie Pippen was reportedly mulling a return to the Chicago Bulls five years after he helped them to their sixth title.
Spurs guard Speedy Claxton was being courted by the Detroit Pistons and their new coach, Larry Brown, and Wizards guard Tyronn Lue was speaking with the Nuggets.
Some of the other better known unrestricted free agents include Robert Horry and Samaki Walker of the Lakers, Elden Campbell of Seattle, Jim Jackson of Sacramento, Kenny Anderson of New Orleans, Orlando's Darrell Armstrong and Derrick Coleman of Philadelphia.