NBA News: Mo Williams Joins Minnesota Timberwolves for $3.75M

The Minnesota Timberwolves will reportedly sign veteran guard Mo Williams to a one-year $3.75 million contract as the franchise looks to add depth in their point guard rotation for the 2014-2015 NBA season

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports first reported the signing via Twitter:

Free agent guard Mo Williams is nearing an agreement with Minnesota, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) July 28, 2014

An NBA veteran of 12 years in the league, Williams has also drawn the interest of the Dallas Mavericks but the latter preferred signing another veteran point guard in Jameer Nelson.

The 31-year-old last played for the Portland Trail Blazers last season when he averaged 9.7 points and 4.3 assists. Williams also had stints with the Utah Jazz, the team that drafted him as the 47th overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft; Milwaukee Bucks (2004-2008); Cleveland Cavaliers (2008-2011); and Los Angeles Clippers (2010-2012).

Williams’ arrival in the Minnesota camp will heat up the battle for the back-up point guard position, previously owned by Jose Juan Barea of Argentina. Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio is the starter for the Timberwolves.

Barea’s $4.51 million expiring contract has been linked to trade talks in the offseason and the acquisition of Williams will further push the rumours that the Argentine spitfire guard is on his way out of Minnesota.

Williams made the NBA All-Star team in 2009 when he teamed-up with LeBron James in helping the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 66-16 win-loss record in the regular season.

The 12-year-veteran was still a key role player in his time in Portland. He was a key cog in the Blazers’ playoff run, where they got ousted by the eventual champion team San Antonio Spurs in the second round. He scored in double-digits twice (13 points and 17 points in Games 2 and 3, respectively) in the first round victory over the Houston Rockets.