Los Angeles Clippers free-agent center Michael Olowokandi agreed Tuesday night to join the Minnesota Timberwolves for the NBA's $4.9 mid-level exception, accepting a three-year deal worth $16.2 million, ESPN.com's Marc Stein reports.

	Olowokandi

Olowokandi effectively replaces Rasho Nesterovic as the Wolves' center and leaves the Clippers without compensation for the club that made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 1998 draft. ESPN.com first reported Tuesday morning that Nesterovic had agreed to leave Minnesota for San Antonio for a six-year deal worth $42 million.

"Michael will have a huge impact with us as a shot-blocker and defender," Wolves coach Flip Saunders said in a statement Wednesday. "He is an athletic player who will help us on both ends of the court. He has good size and is a solid low-post scorer."

Wednesday is the first day teams can sign free agents to contracts.

In Olowokandi, the Wolves get an athletic, able defender and rebounder who averaged 9.9 points and 8.0 rebounds in his first five seasons. Getting him as a fallback after the Nesterovic news is a significant save for the Wolves, who also missed out on free-agent power forward Juwan Howard when Howard elected to commit Monday to the Orlando Magic. And at such a reasonable price -- the most over-the-cap money Minnesota could offer -- the signing will come as a significant blow to size-starved teams such as the New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks, both struggling to land an impact big man with no more than the $4.9 million exception to offer.

"They landed on their feet," Olowokandi's agent, Bill Duffy, said of the Timberwolves.

Olowokandi was in Los Angeles on Tuesday with Duffy in an attempt to facilitate a sign-and-trade deal with the Clippers -- with Memphis president Jerry West among the most eager suitors, searching for a more physical 7-footer to play alongside Pau Gasol.

While also still hoping for a more lucrative deal with Denver -- but with the Nuggets' interest unexpectedly lukewarm -- Olowokandi was instead swayed to enter into a frontcourt partnership with Kevin Garnett. Wolves owner Glen Taylor, general manager Kevin McHale and Saunders did the lobbying, flying to Los Angeles to meet Olowokandi face-to-face after missing out on Nesterovic.

"In my opinion, Michael Olowokandi is one of the best back-to-basket players in the NBA, and at this point in his career it's imperative to get him the best individual instruction possible," Duffy said. "In my opinion, there is no better teacher than Kevin McHale to provide that instruction.

"Michael's priority right now is to get better and reach his potential, and he wanted to go to a winning situation. We think the combination of Kevin Garnett and Michael Olowokandi will be one of the most formidable front lines in basketball."

The Clippers, meanwhile, stand to lose at least half their roster if they don't re-sign any of their free agents. Included among them are Andre Miller, Corey Maggette, Lamar Odom, Elton Brand, Sean Rooks and Eric Piatkowski.

Maggette has already reached agreement with the Utah Jazz on a six-year contract, and Miller has done the same with the Nuggets. Both are restricted free agents and they will now be in contractual limbo until Aug. 1, when the Clippers' 15-day window for matching the offer expires.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.