First of all, a hat tip to PiPress columnist Charlie Walters, who wrote the other day that Trenton was going to the Mavs, a rumor that, citing Shooter’s “spotty” reputation on such tidbits, I belittled.
Second, I don’t like the deal. Greg Buckner is about two inches shorter and three years older than Hassell, which, given that both are defensive specialists, is not a good sign. Buckner has a little more range on his jumper but is less accurate overall as a shooter. Probably most significantly, Buckner is nearly $2 million cheaper over the next three seasons, and I suppose if the Wolves are going with youth anyway, the vets on the bench can be discounted.
[Update: A smart reader just informed me that because Buckner’s third year is a team option and thus not guaranteed, Wolves could save up to $5.79 million in this deal.]
That said, Buckner was a quality defender in Denver who actually shot a little better (especially from the three point line) and defended a little worse than expected in Dallas. Along with money, I suspect this has its roots in the spat that occurred last spring, when Coach Wittman benched Hassell for a period of time and the relationship between the two was obviously strained.
Another thing: Buckner is not going to be able to get his stuff together and travel to Turkey at the drop of a hat. Thus he will be behind the curve when he does arrive for training camp.
To sum up, from the Wolves standpoint, losing Hassell saves some [make that potentially quite a bit of] money and loses a locker room leader from the bad old days at a time when they are trying to wipe the slate clean.
From my standpoint, Trenton Hassell was always a class act, a guy who would honestly answer questions with general good humor and became a crucial glue guy in the starting lineup almost from the moment he joined the team during the franchise’s best-ever season in 2003-04. Two years ago when he was asked to look for his shot more often, he posted a career best 9.2 ppg, but always said that defense was his priority and his meal ticket. I saw him less than nine hours ago, sought him out as I was leaving the Wolves’ media day, gave him a sympathetic kind-of “keep your chin up” sentence or two because we both knew he was on the outs with current braintrust. Then I wished him luck. And he got it, headed to a team that figures to go deep into the playoffs. Trenton Hassell will help grease that momentum.
I grew up surrounded with images, sounds, and stories of 
What’s the obsession with gold in sports? Let’s face it: gold is a horrid color. No matter what color you pair it with — black, blue, green, even maroon — it’s still horrid. Is it the medal reference? Go for the Gold? The enthusiasm behind sports in this country is astounding, as is the amount of money made from it, put into it, and circulating within it. Money is power, my friends. And sports are mighty powerful in, oh, so many ways. Saturday, local author 
Thanks to 
Just under a year ago, 
“I said I can’t wait ’til the end of the week / when I’m rappin’ to the rhythm of a groovy beat / and attempt to raise your body heat.” In 1979 I knew every darn word of “