With injuries piling up, the Minnesota Timberwolves appear close to signing European wing Mickael Gelabale of Spanish team Valencia, according to Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune. ESPN.com's Marc Stein also tweeted on Sunday that the Wolves were Gelabale's most likely destination if he was to leave for the NBA.
Mickael Gelabale rumored to be joining Timberwolves
Mickael Gelabale, currently playing for Valencia in Spain, may be close to signing with the Timberwolves.
Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE
Gelabale would provide Minnesota with some much-needed help on the wing. The Wolves have been ravaged by injuries this season, with Kevin Love out with a broken hand, Brandon Roy sidelined with knee problems, Chase Budinger recovering from a torn meniscus and Malcolm Lee set to have surgery on his knee and hip. J.J. Barea has also been battling back problems, and Ricky Rubio is slowly getting up to speed in his return from ACL surgery.
In five games for Valencia, Gelabale is averaging 11.0 points in 20.3 minutes. He last played in the NBA in 2008 with the Seattle SuperSonics, averaging 4.5 points and 2.1 rebounds in 15.6 minutes over the course of two seasons. The 29-year-old is a career 32.1 percent three-point shooter.
If Gelabale is to leave Valencia to join an NBA team, he must do so by Jan. 30. If he and the Wolves agree on a deal, he would likely come over when Lazar Hayward's 10-day contract ends on Thursday.
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