Tonight is part four in our ongoing series where I use trade machine to try and trade Derek Williams to the team the Wolves are playing that night. My goal is for Derek Williams to become aware of this and use it as motivation. That or David Kahn becomes aware of these posts and tries to make these trades.

Portland and Minnesota have become rivals of sorts over the past couple of years. To think a rivilary coule be started as a result of a General Managers who developed a distrust from one another because one thought it was in poor taste to trade a player with a broken back while the other thought it to be brilliant. For what it is worth, if you are the one getting rid of the guy with a broken back I would call that a win for the organization.

Since that time there have been lawsuits, offer sheets, trade rumors, agent double speak, and offer sheets matched. The odds of these two teams dealing with each other in the future is probably limited. At least until the Blazers offer Pek a max contract this off season.

Speaking over huge contract offers, let's check in on Batum before looking at tonight's trade offer to unload Derek Williams.

20.1 ppg, 6 boards, 3.2 assists, 2 steals, 1.1 blocks.

and for the heck of it, let's look at AK.

13.8 ppg, 8.3 boards, 3 assists, 1.6 steals , 2.1 blocks

Batum can score a little bit more but it seems AK is giving more on the defensive end. Look for AK's ppg to go down with Love back, too. Not saying one is better than the other just pointing out the two off season targets for the Wolves.

And now, trade time!

Derek Williams and 2 first round picks for Batum.

http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=acvracn

PDX gets: Williams
Minnesota gets, Victor Claver, Will Barton, & Elliot Williams.

One of these players hasn't gotten off of Portland's bench, and the other two are averaging 5 min a game for a team with an awful bench.

We all really liked Will Barton coming into the draft though!

Wolves/Blazers tip off at 9pm CST. Blazers are -2.