Season after season, the Timberwolves have been patient ? building from within while doing without several first-round draft picks, waiting weeks into free agency before making any substantial moves, then promising adjustments after the inevitable first-round playoff defeat.

But that changed last week, when, in a 16-hour period, the Wolves drafted a skinny high school player and made a trade that should improve the team.

And the plan is for the changes to continue.

"This definitely is just a beginning,'' team owner Glen Taylor said Friday, hours after Minnesota traded Joe Smith and Anthony Peeler to Milwaukee for Sam Cassell and Ervin Johnson. "We've got a lot more work to do.''

Teams are allowed to begin negotiating with free agents Tuesday and can sign them beginning July 16. The Wolves have eight, but the first priority is to get a decision from starting center Rasho Nesterovic, who plans to test the free agent market and already has sparked interest from New York and Toronto, at least.

"I think we just want to know where we sit with Rasho," Taylor said, noting that if Nesterovic leaves, Alonzo Mourning has put the Wolves on a list of teams he's willing to talk to. "But Rasho's our No. 1, so that's what we prefer to do.''

Nesterovic's decision will determine if the Wolves need another center, and also how they can obtain new talent. Because Minnesota has exceeded the salary cap, it has exceptions worth only $1.5 million and about $4.6 million with which to sign free agents, although the team can re-sign its own free agents for more.

Wolves vice president Kevin McHale also has been negotiating a trade involving injured point guard Terrell Brandon, who won't play again but whose contract will give a team luxury tax relief once he retires. However, the player the Wolves have been seeking in those deals has not been a top-notch center. If Nesterovic signs elsewhere, that might have to change.