The Timberwolves signed John Thomas, the University of Minnesota product to a contract that will last the remainder of the season, with his second 10-day contract expiring today.

The 6-foot-9, 255-pounder was an original first-round pick of the New York Knicks in the 1997 NBA Draft. He was then traded by New York with Walter McCarty, Dontae Jones and Scott Brooks to the Boston Celtics for Chris Mills on October 22, 1997 and again traded by the Celtics with Chauncey Billups, Dee Brown and Roy Rogers to the Toronto Raptors for Kenny Anderson, Zan Tabak and Popeye Jones on February 18, 1998.

Thomas is averaging 1.7 points and 2 rebounds in 10 games with the T-Wolves this season.

Celtics point guard Gary Payton expects to be traded prior to the fast-approaching deadline.

The Boston Globe is reporting that he expects to play for the Timberwolves or Kings.

Both teams are filled with veteran talent, as well as high-caliber starting point guards, in Sam Cassell and Mike Bibby.

The Seattle Supersonics nearly overcame a 58.1 percent performance shooting by the Minnesota Timberwolves in a 112-107 thriller at the Key Arena.

Timberwolves reserve Wally Szczerbiak scored a season-high 34 points off the bench to lead the Timberwolves to a stunning victory over the Sonics.  Every time the Sonics made a run, Wally buried a clutch shot to keep them at bay, despite the late game heroics of Ray Allen and Sonics point guard Luke Ridnour who scored a career high 18 points.

According to the Toronto Sun there was some worry that key Timberwolf Kevin Garnett or running mate Latrell Sprewell would go after Raptors forward Matt Bonner Monday, who pulled Garnett to the floor following a rebound and was ejected the last time the two teams met on December 15.  

Such talk, according to Raptors coach Sam Mitchell, is unnecessary.

"I hope that's the last thing on Matt's mind, I know it's the last thing on Kevin's mind," Mitchell said. "Hey, Minnesota is in the tough Western Conference. You look at those records out west, there are going to be some teams with .500 or better records who don't make the playoffs."

"I think Kevin's motivation is trying to get his team back into the playoff hunt," Mitchell said. "Same with us. In our conference, we're trying to get to the top of it. We feel we can do that, but we've got to try to win some games on the road."

Bonner said he approached yesterday's match "just like any other game."

The NBA has suspended Denver forward Nene and Minnesota center Michael Olowonkandi four games each as a consequence for the two players fighting in the Timberwolves' 93-83 win in Denver Friday.

In a statement released by the NBA's Senior Vice President Basketball Operations Stu Jackson, it was revealed that the penalties were imposed against both players for 'throwing punches and fighting'.  The incident was the first act of voilence witnessed since November's brawl at The Palace in Detroit between the Pistons and the Pacers.

Olowokandi will begin serving his suspension tonight vs. the Portland Trail Blazers at the Target Center. Nen? will begin serving his suspension on Monday, Jan. 17 against the Golden State Warriors at The Arena in Oakland.

Also suspended as a result of the altercation were Nuggets Marcus Camby and Francisco Elson for one game each, even though neither were actively involved in the fight.  NBA rules state that no player can leave the vicinity of the bench during an altercation, which the league determined both had done.

Elson and Camby will serve their suspensions on Monday at Golden State.

"It was almost like a playoff finals game," Nuggets coach Michael Cooper said after Minnesota's 93-83 victory.

Fighting for position under Minnesota's basket, Olowokandi twice pushed Nene, who retaliated with a head-butt. Olowokandi started yelling at Nene, then pushed him in the face.

Referee Bennett Salvatore and players from both sides tried to separate them, but Nene charged in throwing punches, landing one to the side of Olowokandi's head. The two players then started flailing at each other in front of the scorer's table before finally being pulled apart and escorted from the floor.

``It's a physical game, and it should be played within the constraints of what the game allows legally, and the refs should stop it before it gets out of hand,'' Olowokandi said. ``Head-butting crosses that line.''

According to TNT Analyst David Aldridge there has been talk of a four way trade involving Toronto, New York, Miami and Minnesota, four maximum sized contracts exchanging zip codes.

According to the report Minnesota would receive Heat guard Eddie Jones and Toronto forward Donyell Marshall, Miami would receive Wolf Latrell Sprewell, the Knicks would receive disgruntled guard Jalen Rose while the Raptors receive often injured guard Anfernee 'Penny' Hardaway, who has one less year remaining on his contract.

More details as they come into play.

Last night, the Minnesota Timberwolves' big man out of Stanford was put on the injured list with a broken left thumb.

Madsen underwent surgery on Saturday after injuring the thumb in Friday?s game versus Philadelphia.  He is expected to be out for six weeks.

In a rematch of last season's Western Conference Finals, the L.A. Lakers defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves by a final score of 105-96.

On the way to the win, the Lakers made 16 3-point field goals.

"It felt great to see them like that, executing, playing together like a unit," Bryant said. "Stepping up, making big shots, making great plays."

``They shot well,'' Szczerbiak said. ``Give them credit.''

The NBA?s leading scorer, Allen Iverson, did not play in Friday night?s game versus the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Iverson is nursing a sprained ankle he suffered in the first quarter of Wednesday night?s game versus Utah which he finished in its entirety.