Owner Rips Cassell, Sprewell

According to Minnesota Timberwolf owner Glen Taylor, the team’s acquisitions of Latrell Sprewell and Sam Cassell two summers ago were a “failed experiment.”

For a story published in Wednesday’s editions of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Taylor said he regretted trading for Sprewell and Cassell -- despite significant contributions from the two veterans that led to a run to the Western Conference finals last season. The Timberwolves are 41-37 this season.

“This was an expensive financial decision; certainly, financial-wise, it was a poor decision on our part,” Taylor said. “Overall, it was just a failed experiment.”

Cassell, 35, and Sprewell, 34, each complained in training camp about not getting contract extensions. Sprewell will be a free agent after making more than $14 million this season. Cassell has another year at about $6 million on his deal.

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The Clippers put swingman Corey Maggette on the injured list and activated backup center Zeljko Rebraca, who had sat out five games because of a sprained right wrist.

The club announced Tuesday that Maggette would sit out the remainder of the season because of a torn ligament in his left wrist.

Meanwhile, the Clippers were hopeful that Coach Mike Dunleavy would rejoin them in time for today’s practice at Phoenix. Dunleavy took a leave of absence from the team this week to be at the side of his ailing father in New York.

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Milwaukee guard T.J. Ford, who has been sidelined the season because of a spinal cord injury, is improving and soon will be able to resume workouts.

Ford bruised his spinal cord in a game Feb. 24, 2004, against the Timberwolves. He had cervical spinal surgery in May, but the injury has not healed enough to allow him to play.