Minnesota Timberwolves VP Kevin McHale predicts this years? free agency period will be slow. Chip Scoggins of the Star Tribune reports that McHale and the Wolves will be cautious this summer with their money.

McHale said Monday he doesn't expect much news to circulate out of Target Center this week and predicted that only a few signings will take place this week as teams, worried about the oncoming luxury tax, will take a more conservative approach in negotiations.

?The economics of the game have changed, and the hardest thing to do is to get the players and the agents to understand that," said McHale. "My portfolio was a lot better before the market went to hell, but it is what it is."

The Wolves expect to take a hit on Wednesday when their free agent point guard, Chauncey Billups, will be free to sign a reported 6-year, $35 million contract with the Pistons. "I talked to his agent a couple of times, and I think Chauncey feels pretty comfortable with Detroit," McHale said.

A minor move may take place this week to help fill the void at point guard after Billups? departure. It appears as if the Wolves are set to sign Khalid El-Amin to add depth to ther backcourt. McHale said they will scour the summer leagues looking for players that can contribute. "We would like to find a guy with some experience," he said.

The Wolves plan on waiting out the initial wave of signings to get some better free agent bargains. Usually after the first initial signings, things start drying up a little bit," McHale said. "All of sudden everybody gets a little bit more reasonable. It's a lot easier to deal with everybody then."