MINNEAPOLIS -- Mo Williams is on his way to Minnesota, which means J. Patrick Marleau Jersey .J. Barea could be on his way out. The Timberwolves and Williams have agreed to a $3.75 million, one-year contract, the players agency, Priority Sports, announced on Monday. The agreement gives the Timberwolves an experienced and versatile combo guard to play behind Ricky Rubio. Williams turns 32 in December and is coming off a season in Portland in which he averaged 9.7 points per game for his lowest output since his rookie year in 2003-04. But his ability to shoot -- he is a career 38.5 per cent shooter from 3-point range -- and handle the ball made him an attractive target for the Timberwolves, who were looking for a quality veteran to play behind Rubio and alongside rookie Zach LaVine next season. The Timberwolves had one of the most productive starting units in the NBA from an offensive standpoint last season, but the production dipped dramatically when the reserves took the floor. Alexey Shved struggled mightily and was never able to assume the primary ball-handling role that the team envisioned when they brought him over from Russia in 2012. Shveds lacklustre play forced then-coach Rick Adelman to use Barea as a more conventional point guard, saddling him with responsibilities of running the offence and getting his teammates involved, which didnt play to the fiery guards strengths. Barea was at his best in Dallas, playing alongside bigger point guard Jason Kidd so he could assume the role of a mini-shooting guard and create mismatches with his ability to penetrate. He signed a four-year deal with Minnesota in 2011, but has struggled while playing the backup point guard spot for much of that time. Barea is entering the final year of a contract that will pay him $4.5 million next season. So if Timberwolves President Flip Saunders is able to trade Barea this summer, he essentially will be saving $750,000 while getting a player more equipped to handle multiple responsibilities in Williams, all while maintaining salary cap flexibility going forward. Williams, who was an All-Star in 2009 when he helped LeBron James and the Cavaliers reach the NBA Finals, declined his $2.7 million player option to become a free agent. He picked up a nice little raise to come to Minnesota and will get a chance to play some significant minutes on a Timberwolves team that could have a completely different look when next season begins. Bareas name has been mentioned often during trade talks that centre around All-Star forward Kevin Love, who can opt out of his contract next season and has told the Wolves he wants to play for a contender. The Wolves have engaged in significant discussions with the Cleveland Cavaliers, who want to team Love with James and Kyrie Irving to form a new-look Big 3 in the East. The Wolves also have talked to Golden State, Chicago, Boston and several other teams about Love. But with a package that could include No. 1 overall pick Andrew Wiggins, former No. 1 overall pick Anthony Bennett and a future first-round pick, the Cavaliers have the assets the Wolves covet most. Any deal could not be completed until Aug. 23, 30 days after Wiggins signed his contract. The Timberwolves are using this waiting period to explore all of their options, including the possibility of adding a third team to the mix to unload players like Barea and Shved, who will make just under $3.3 million next season. Dan Boyle Jersey . -- The Buffalo Sabres got the lead for a change, and held onto it thanks to a stellar performance in goal by Jhonas Enroth. Antti Niemi Sharks Jersey . A week after collecting the Professional Footballers Association trophy, the Uruguay international won the 2014 vote by the Football Writers Association on Monday.(SportsNetwork.com) - The Winnipeg Jets are looking to continue their roll Sunday night in a visit to the Pepsi Center to face the Colorado Avalanche. Watch the game live on TSN Jets and hear the game live on TSN Radio Winnipeg 1290 starting at 7pm ct. The Jets are fresh off a 6-4 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Friday in a back-and-forth contest. Blake Wheeler scored twice, giving him 14 goals on the season for the Jets. Nine of those have come in 12 games this month. Evander Kane, Olli Jokinen, Dustin Byfuglien and Tobias Enstrom all scored and Jacob Trouba contributed two assists in the win. Starting goaltender Ondrej Pavelec, who had lost seven of his previous eight decisions, was pulled 7:04 into the game after allowing three goals on six shots. Al Montoya turned aside 22-of-23 shots to help provide stability in net and get the win. "We made a goalie change that didnt really have much to do with Pavelec," Winnipeg head coach Claude Noel said. "It was clearly a message, to me, not to Ondrej, but to our team." Despite those words, Montoya is expected to get the start tonight after moving to 6-2-1 with a 2.14 goals against average on the season. He is 1-1-1 with a 2.32 GAA in three lifetime meetings with the Avs. That includes a loss in Colorado on Oct. 27 as he gave up three goals on 36 shots faced. The Avs have won the first two of fivee meetings this season, picking up a victory at home and in Winnipeg on Dec. Logan Couture. 12. Varlamov was in net for both wins, moving to 6-3-0 with a 2.64 lifetime versus the Winnipeg franchise. The Jets may have defenseman Zach Bogosian back in the lineup tonight after he missed Fridays game due to illness. Following a winless road trip against some of the top teams in the NHL, the Avalanche begin a lengthy stay at home against the Jets. The Avs lost back-to-back shootouts in Los Angeles and San Jose before getting routed by Chicago 7-2 on Friday. All seven Blackhawk goals were scored against Jean-Sebastien Giguere, who faced 24 shots through two periods. Semyon Varlamov relieved Giguere to start the third and stopped all 13 shots he faced in Colorados seventh setback in its last 10 games. Paul Stastny, who turned 28 on Friday, put Colorado on the board in the second period and Gabriel Landeskog added a third-period goal. P.A. Parenteau assisted on both goals. "They always seemed to play well at home and we came out with a lackluster effort in the first," said Colorado defenseman Ryan Wilson, who played for the first time since Nov. 6 due to a back injury. "It just kind of got out of control from there." The Avalanche, who sit third in the Central Division, begin a string of seven straight at home that runs through Jan. 10. ' ' '
