NBA Set to Suspend Minnesota Owner

Glen Taylor, owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves, said Tuesday night that he has agreed to be suspended by the NBA for his role in a secret deal with former player Joe Smith that violated salary-cap rules.

Kevin McHale, vice president of basketball operations, agreed to take a leave of absence, Taylor said. Coach and General Manager Flip Saunders will not be punished.

According to the agreement, Taylor and McHale will be unable to attend games, negotiate contracts or talk to reporters, the owner said.

Taylor said his suspension will last until September. McHale’s leave of absence will last until August.

Taylor said he negotiated the agreement with NBA deputy commissioner Russ Granik. The deal has not been signed, but Taylor said he expects it to become official next week. By reaching the agreement, Taylor said Timberwolf executives will not have to attend hearings in New York City scheduled for next week.

NBA spokesman Brian McIntyre said the league had no comment.

Minnesota’s game Saturday at Target Center against the Clippers probably will be the last one this season that Taylor can attend.

“I’m not happy about this, but I accept it,” Taylor said. “I watch all the away games on television. Now I’ll watch all the games on television.”

Taylor revealed the suspension Tuesday during a speech at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management, saying he expected to agree in a few days to a deal that he called “basically a suspension.”

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NBA general managers will have more time to make trades this season than they originally thought.

The NBA on Monday said the league’s trade deadline was being pushed back to Feb. 22 from Feb. 15, giving team executives another week to swap players.

McIntyre, the league spokesman, said the change was the result of an “administrative error.”

The trade deadline historically falls on the 17th Thursday of the NBA season, McIntyre said. Someone at NBA headquarters that he wouldn’t name incorrectly counted the weeks, he said. Feb. 15 is the 16th Thursday of the season, which began Oct. 31.