The NBA trade rumors are changing for the Minnesota Timberwolves, apparently. The deal that is supposedly going to send Michael Beasley to the Los Angeles Lakers in return for Jamal Crawford from the Portland Trail Blazers might cause the Wolves to give up more than originally expected.
The original version of the three-team trade, or at least the one being most-widely reported, would have only seen the Wolves with the above two moving parts. ESPN's Dave McMenamin has added a new wrinkle, however, reporting that Luke Ridnour might also be involved.
Several variations of the trade have been discussed. One would land Beasley on the Lakers in a three-team deal that would send Portland Trail Blazers guard Jamal Crawford to the Wolves and Luke Ridnour from Minnesota to Portland. Los Angeles would give up one of its two 2012 first-round draft picks in the deal and use its $8.9 million trade exception, acquired when it traded Lamar Odom to the Dallas Mavericks in December, to absorb Beasley's approximate $6.3 million salary. Portland would also receive the Lakers' first-round pick.
If the Wolves are forced to give up both Ridnour and Beasley in exchange for Crawford, the deal will have gone from good to bad in a hurry, it seems.
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