The Journal Times Online - Racine, Wisconsin

BY GERY WOELFEL

Ramon Sessions could be approaching the end of his long and unpredictable free agency odyssey.

Sessions, a restricted free agent who wound being the Bucks' starting point guard last season after just two years in the NBA, could be on the verge of receiving an offer sheet.

Surprisingly, it might not come from the New York Knicks or the Los Angeles Clippers -- two teams that have heavily courted Sessions since the commencement of free agency on July 1.

According to some NBA officials, Sessions may wind up signing with the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Timberwolves are in the market for a guard after their top choice in the 2009 draft -- Ricky Rubio -- recently decided to play for Regal FC Barcelona.

Neither Sessions nor Chubby Wells, Sessions' agent, could be reached for comment Thursday night. Ditto for Timberwolves president David Kahn.

If Sessions does sign an offer sheet with the Timberwolves, the Bucks would have seven days in which to match it. That is highly unlikely, though.

The Bucks used their first-round draft pick -- No. 10 selection overall -- on point guard Brandon Jennings. The Bucks also have the services of veteran Luke Ridnour and recently acquired yet another point guard, Roko Ukic, in a trade with Toronto.

If that isn't enough, the Bucks are only $1.6 million under the NBA's luxury tax threshold. It's a cinch Sessions will be offered a contract at least double that amount and probably for four years.

Sessions, 23, is regarded as one of the best young point guards in the game. A second-round draft pick out of Nevada-Reno, Sessions spent most of his rookie season with Tulsa in the D-League and played in just 17 games with the Bucks.

However, Sessions blossomed last season. He appeared in 79 games, 39 as a starter. He averaged 12.4 points and 5.7 assists.

The 6-foot-3, 190-pound Sessions holds the Bucks' all-time record for assists in a game with 24. What's more, he scorched the Detroit Pistons for 44 points in a game last season.

The prevailing feeling was that Sessions would sign an offer sheet with the Knicks. New York coach Mike D'Antoni has an excellent rapport with Sessions and respects his game.

Knicks president Donnie Walsh has had repeated conversations with Wells and with Bucks general manager John Hammond about some sign-and-trade scenarios, although the parties couldn't come to any agreement.

The Knicks have their sights set on signing Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James next summer and don't want to disrupt their salary-cap situation.

The Clippers have also shown continual interest in Sessions. Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy is impressed with Sessions' playmaking abilities, particularly his assist-to-turnover ratio.

In 96 games with the Bucks, Sessions averaged 6.0 assists and just 1.9 turnovers.