Wolves Re-Sign Chase Budinger
The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team has re-signed forward Chase Budinger. Per team policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.
"We are excited that Chase has decided to make Minnesota his home next season and beyond," said Flip Saunders, Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations. "We made bringing back Chase a priority because of his shooting ability, athleticism and his familiarity with Coach Adelman's system. We look forward to watching his continued development in a Wolves uniform."
Budinger, 25, played in 23 games for the Wolves last season, averaging 9.4 points and 3.1 rebounds in 22.1 minutes per contest. The 6-7 forward sat out 59 games after undergoing surgery to repair a lateral meniscus tear in his left knee on Nov. 13.
In six games before suffering the injury, Budinger averaged 11.8 points on .480 shooting - both of which over a full season would have been career highs. Budinger scored a team- and season-high 18 points Nov. 9 vs. Indiana, including the game-winner with :00.8 left. An Encinitas, Calif., native, Budinger owns career NBA averages of 9.4 points and 3.4 rebounds in 233 games with Houston and Minnesota. Budinger is a career .358 shooter from beyond the arc, including a career-best .402 over the 2011-12 season.
The Wolves originally acquired Budinger, along with the draft rights to Lior Eliyahu, from the Houston Rockets on June 26, 2012 in exchange for the No. 18 overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. Budinger was the was the 44th overall selection in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons before having his draft rights traded to Houston on draft night.