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Timberwolves Free Agency 2012: Minnesota Forced To Play Waiting Game On Nicolas Batum

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Having signed free agent Nicolas Batum to an offer sheet, all the Minnesota Timberwolves can do now is wait on the Portland Trail Blazers.

The Blazers can match the Wolves' four-year, $46.5 million offer sheet, and right now all indications are that they'll do just that, according to The Pioneer Press.

If Portland does match by the 11:59 PM Wednesday deadline,

...the Wolves will have to put Plan B in action and shift focus to other free agents at the shooting guard-small forward positions. Knowing [Portland GM Neil] Olshey's intentions, the plan already might be in place.

During a conference call with reporters Friday, Wolves president of basketball operations David Kahn eyed the positive if Batum stays with Portland.

"It would leave us significant room under the cap to pursue other players," Kahn said.

With Minnesota focused on perimeter scoring, the article goes on to name Courtney Lee -- a restricted free agent with the Houston Rockets -- and former Memphis Grizzlies guard O.J. Mayo as likely targets.

Since the article was written, however, Mayo tweeted that he was signing with the Dallas Mavericks, which limits the players Kahn might be able to pursue with that significant cap room

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