Neuigkeiten und Ankündigungen » an eye out for. Angelo Mathews will cap

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Timberwolves have accomplished their summer mission to bring better 3-point shooters and more positional balance to the roster. Now the questions left for this team to answer are whether it can successfully guard anyone and how to divide playing time among a suddenly deep, if healthy, group. The Timberwolves finalized contracts on Friday with a pair of small forwards whose skills were central to their plan, Chase Budinger and Corey Brewer, and another, first-round pick Shabazz Muhammad, whose playing-time prospect appears dim for this season after a flurry of post-draft moves. Budinger agreed to terms last week on a three-year, $16 million contract. Brewer agreed to a three-year, $15 million deal on Wednesday. The Wolves had to manoeuvr through the leagues complicated salary cap rules before they could actually sign them, which led to the trade of guard Luke Ridnour to Milwaukee. Brewer, of course, was the seventh overall pick in the 2007 draft by the Wolves, but he didnt hit his stride until after he left. Last season with Denver, he averaged 12.1 points in 24.4 minutes per game. Shooting is not his forte, but the Wolves badly needed a reliable defender on the wing, and his athletic ability to run the fast break with fancy-passing point guard Ricky Rubio was what cemented him as the right fit to replace the departed Andrei Kirilenko. "Its always different when you come in with the expectations of a top-10 pick and youre counted on to carry a team. Hes not going to have to carry this team," President of Basketball Operations Flip Saunders said. With Budinger and another veteran acquisition, shooting guard Kevin Martin, Brewer is probably bound for an energy-off-the-bench role. With him, Derrick Williams and the rookie Muhammad, finding time for everyone will be tricky. Williams played a lot of power forward when star Kevin Love was hurt, but with Love back and Dante Cunningham and Ronny Turiaf behind him, thats a crowded position, too. Saunders stopped short of declaring this the deepest team in the franchises woebegone history, but he said the group might be more versatile than the 2003-04 squad he coached with Kevin Garnett, Sam Cassell and Latrell Sprewell that reached the Western Conference finals. Thats the only year out of 24 that the Wolves have advanced past the first round of the playoffs. Budinger was limited to 23 games last season because of a lateral meniscus tear in his left knee. But his familiarity with coach Rick Adelmans system from their prior time together in Houston and his ability to shoot and move without the ball on the wing made him a priority for the Wolves to bring back. This also is a much taller team than last season, when the 6-foot-2 Ridnour was playing out of position at shooting guard. Assuming centre Nikola Pekovic is re-signed, there are three 6-foot-11 guys on the roster with rookie Gorgui Dieng and Chris Johnson. Brewer is 6-foot-9. Budinger and Martin are 6-foot-7. Ronny Turiaf, who was still in the process of finalizing the two-year, $3.2 million deal he agreed to on Thursday, will be a 6-foot-10 backup to Love. "I do believe that its going to be a very exciting team to watch play, just because of how we have the ability of the bigs inside to rebound, get out and run with Rubio," Saunders said, adding: "Our big question is, everyones going to say: We think you guys will be able to score. Are you going to be able to defend? Thats why getting Brewer and getting Turiaf, a perimeter defender and an inside defender, I thought was going to be very big for us." Saunders also praised Adelmans ability to produce capable team defence out of individuals who might not be the best at guarding. Once Turiaf signs, securing Pekovic is the last piece on the summer to-do list. Hes a restricted free agent. "People think he can go pretty much where he wants to go, and he can sign an offer sheet, but we have the ability to match anything," Saunders said. "Right now where were set in our budget, we have an ability to sign Pek, so we expect he will be back." Cheap Yankees Jerseys . They had already blown a double-digit lead, fans were hitting the exits, and a long seven-game road trip waited at the end. Custom Derek Jeter Jersey . The Oilers come in having lost five in a row (0-4-1) and 16 of their last 20 games, dropping a 2-1 decision to the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. http://www.customyankeesjersey.com/custom-derek-jeter-jersey-large-74i.html .B. - Sebastien Auger made 44 saves as the Saint John Sea Dogs edged the visiting Acadie-Bathurst Titan 2-1 on Saturday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. Custom Yankees Jersey China . On June 12, just as the sun sets on the magnificent historical city of Sao Paulo the inventors, innovators and purveyors of “joga bonitowill” open their campaign. The opponent, Croatia and all its football might and will. As opposites do attract we are set for a corker of an opener. Authentic Custom Yankees Jersey . After taking two big hits this week -- losing at home and dropping back-to-back games for the first time all season -- Indiana struck back by playing its most complete game of the year.Mahela Jayawardene believes Sri Lanka can offer a strong challenge to England this summer if they can hit the ground running. Jayawardene - who will be joining Sky Sports BAFTA-winning cricket team to cover the three Tests in England - has retired from international cricket since Sri Lankas 1-0 Test series victory in England in 2014.Another former skipper, Kumar Sangakkara, has also stepped down since, but Jayawardene remains confident Sri Lanka can spring a few surprises on Alastair Cooks side, despite an inexperienced team struggling against Essex in their opening warm-up match of the tour. They are getting acclimatised but at the same time they have a very young team, especially the batting group, so they need a bit of time out there in the middle, Jayawardene told Sky Sports News HQ.I wish they could have batted for a couple of days to get a bit of confidence but a couple of the youngsters - Kusal Mendis and Suranga Lakmal - did perform, which is encouraging for them.The bowling unit is pretty much the same as the one two years ago that beat England, so they have the experience in that department. Sri Lanka head coach Graham Ford believes his sides performance in England is just as important as winning the matches Sri Lanka have always competed really well when they have toured England. It is something unique for a Sri Lanka team to tour England and we have always challenged here.My heart says they will do the same thing [as 2014] but England are a far superior team, not just in experience but in how they have played for the last few years.It is going to be a daunting task for the Sri Lankan boys but if they get into a good rhythm and start the series well, we should see some exciting cricket.Jayawardene feels captain Angelo Mathews must set the tone for his inexperienced side and picked out a few key players for English fans to keep an eye out for. Angelo Mathews will captain Sri Lanka this summer Mathews had a great time last time when we were here and he is going to be the main pillar in the set-up, added Jayawardene, who was employed by England as a bating consultant during their tour of India.ddddddddddddThere are some youngsters who should perform well, like Dinesh Chandimal, Lahiru Thirimanne and Dimuth Karunaratne, in the batting group.The young fast bowling attack is led by Dhammika Prassad, who is an experienced campaigner, so it gives them that experience.But Dushmantha Chameera has done really well in the last 12 months in one-day cricket and in Test cricket.He is an exciting prospect for us who bowls 145-150 kph, so he could be the surprise package this summer if he gets his line and length right.Although he will not be representing his country this summer, Jayawardene is looking forward to playing for Somerset as well as becoming part of the Sky Sports Cricket team. The first of three Test matches between England and Sri Lanka begins at Headingley in just under two weeks It should be a very good summer. It will give me a chance to watch some great cricket and at the same time be with the Sky Sports team, he said.Playing for Somerset, it is a different county for me. So I am looking forward to that opportunity. We have got Chris Gayle as well as the other overseas player, so it is exciting times.Watch England v Sri Lanka on Sky Sports this summer. Coverage of the first Test from Headingley begins at 10am on May 19 on Sky Sports 2 HD. Also See: Englands options: Openers Sky Ashes coverage wins BAFTA Essex v Sri Lanka latest England v Sri Lanka on Sky ' ' '