Timberwolves go after center Hollins

MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 3 (UPI) -- The Minnesota Timberwolves said Monday they have signed restricted free-agent center Ryan Hollins to an offer sheet and are awaiting Dallas's response.

The Mavericks, who got the 7-footer from Charlotte in January, have seven days to match the offer.

Hollins has averaged 2.7 points and 1.8 rebounds in 132 games for the Bobcats and Mavericks. He was a second-round pick out of UCLA in the 2006 NBA draft.

"We are excited about the opportunity to have Ryan Hollins on our team," said David Kahn, the Wolves' president of basketball operations who is still shopping for a new coach to replace Kevin McHale. "We've had our eye on him the past several weeks and we are optimistic we can acquire him through this process."

Hollins would compete for playing time with centers Jason Collins and Oleksiy Pechorov, and center-forwards Al Jefferson, Kevin Love and Shelden Williams.