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NBA Free Agency 2012: Adelman Responds To Portland Comments About Batum Offer

Minnesota Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman is happy with the talent assembled on the roster he will guide through the 2012-13 NBA season. One player Minnesota targeted as a restricted free agent is not among those players, though.

Nicolas Batum expressed his desire to join the Timberwolves after signing an offer sheet. But after Portland matched the offer to retain Batum, Trail Blazers' GM Neil Olshey went out of his way to mention that Batum's comments were delivered under pressure from the Timberwolves and his agent Bouna Ndaiye.

According to a report by Kerry Eggers, Adelman wondered why Olshey would bother making his comments after getting his man.

"I'm amazed at all the stuff that went out," Adelman said. "Didn't Portland try to get (Indiana's) Roy Hibbert? So we're not supposed to go after someone we want? I didn't understand that whole thing. And I don't think Brandon Roy is property of them anymore. They let him go.

"All that stuff surprised me. We were just trying to get a player who fit in our system. Unfortunately, it went on and on and on, and I have no control over that."

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Photographs by Micah Taylor, clairity, and Fibonacci Blue used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.