The Minnesota Timberwolves will reportedly use the NBA's amnesty clause on center Darko Milicic according to ESPN.com's Rich Bucher, as the team prepares to make its final push for free agent swingman Nicolas Batum.
Milicic started in 92 of his 98 games over the past two seasons with the Timberwolves, but was routinely plagued by foul trouble and struggled to stay on the court for meaningful stretches. Still just 27 years old after famously entering the league in 2003 alongside LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony among others, the seven-foot Milicic has struck out with each of the five NBA teams he's played for in his career.
With two years and $10 million ($7 million guaranteed) remaining on his now-alleviated deal, the Timberwolves have the ammunition to offer Batum something in the ballpark of four years and $45-50 million. Though he was originally hesitant to sign an offer sheet in fear that Portland would match, Batum remains confident that he'll end up in a T-Wolves uniform, and Thursday's cap move to amnesty Milicic was the next step towards getting Batum to Minnesota.
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