T'Wolves Owner Glen Taylor on Friday "admitted signing
a secret agreement" with F Joe Smith in violation of the
NBA's salary cap rules, according to Steve Aschburner of the
Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, who reported that the NBA has
already begun an arbitration process with the T'Wolves. One
league exec said the T'Wolves have been accused of "the most
serious salary-cap offense that can be committed by teams,
players or agents." Under the CBA, the T'Wolves "could face
serious penalties, including multimillion dollar fines, the
forfeiture of draft picks, the voiding of players contracts
and the suspension of team personnel." Taylor: "Certainly
I'm concerned. It's true that I had an agreement with Joe.
... If it's a mistake, it's my mistake." While league rules
require a "team and player to wait three seasons before he
can be signed without regard to a salary cap," Aschburner
reported that Taylor, Smith and Smith's former agent, Eric
Fleisher, "apparently agreed" in writing in '99 to offer
Smith a multi-year contract in 2001 for Smith's "patience
and his willingness to accept less-than-market value to
stay" with the T'Wolves. If the team offered Smith a long-
term deal, they "improperly kept him out of the free-agent
market." Taylor said while the deal "called for a number of
things to be phased in each year," it was also intended to
be sent to Commissioner David Stern "for his approval." But
Aschburner wrote that Taylor, Smith and Fleisher "never did
seek approval" from the NBA (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 9/9).
T'Wolves VP/Basketball Operations Kevin McHale: "Did I know
about a written agreement between Joe and Glen? No. Glen
dealt with Eric [Fleisher] in this thing (ST. PAUL PIONEER
PRESS, 9/10). In Minneapolis, Dan Barreiro: "If you are
going to cheat, then for God's sake, do not put it in
writing" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 9/10).
