Greg Stiemsma has reportedly reached an agreement with the Timberwolves on a contract for next year. The Wolves have pursued the center since free agency began and it appears that they have reeled in their man. The Celtics had tendered a $1.1 million offer sheet at the start of free agency but the offer from the Wolves is expected to be more than that. With only the bi-annual exception to offer, the Steamer era in Boston is about to end.

Stiemsma is using his experience with the Celtics to cash in with another team just as Tony Allen, Big Baby and others have done before him. This doesn't come as a surprise since big men this season have been getting paid very well. Omer Asik had very similar stats to Stiemsma's and he received a 3 year/$25 million contract offer from Houston.

The Celtics have 3 days to match, which is doubtful, or they could simply withdraw the qualifying offer and Greg would become an unrestricted free agent to sign wherever he wanted to. Stiemsma is a native of Wisconsin, and will be playing closer to home. He'll also be playing for the team that gave him his first NBA opportunity. Stiemsma signed with the Wolves at the end of the 2009-10 season, but they waived him before he had the chance to play a game.

Now that Stiemsma is definitely heading elsewhere, the Celtics can get on with the job of finding another big who can play inside for them and give them some back up minutes off the bench. In a bit of irony, the Celtics best option may be Darko Milicic, who was amnestied by the Wolves. 

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