Minnesota Timberwolves president David Kahn has traded shooting guard Quentin Richardson to the Miami Heat for former Timberwolves center Mark Blount, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. The deal was more about creating roster and salary cap flexibility than getting Blount, who likely won’t be on the roster when Minnesota opens training camp in late September.
Both players have expiring salaries, but the Wolves will save nearly $1.4 million by waiving Blount and his $7.96 million contract rather than dump Richardson’s $9.35 million contract.

By making this deal, it’s clear Kahn never intended having Richardson, who likely would have been a runaway gunner in his contract year, on this season’s team.

Kahn still could deal Blount’s contract in another deal, but it seems like waiving him outright is more likely.

Either way, he’ll be back with the Wolves on paper only — and probably fairly briefly — nearly two years after the Wolves’ old regime miraculously traded Ricky Davis and Blount to the Heat for Antoine Walker and that 2009 first-round pick that Kahn in essence dealt to Denver for a future first-round pick.