Interestingly, in this case the complainant is another lovable guy, Portland's own David Kahn.

Calling a human being " damaged goods" is pretty messed up in my book, especially when the human is a 20 something male African American. Martel is not a piece of property who is bought and sold like a slave, he's a talented individual with a long term sports contract. That aside, isn't a team given an opportunity to conduct their own due diligence vis a vis a medical exam prior to agreeing to a trade? Martel had off and on back problems in the past, and it was no secret that anyone couldn't figure out after 5 minutes on Google. The Timberwolves are looking like total idiots in trying to pursue this thing.

let the buyer beware...

I am surprised by the level of speculation this story has drawn. As far as I can tell, the source for the story hasn't said the Wolves are seeking compensation, just that Kahn wants the league to make sure Portland negotiated according to the rules.

Usual Kevin: Yes, teams have an opportunity to put players through physicals before either side can put their new guys in uniform. At the trade deadline in 2009, the Hornets and Thunder completed a trade which sent Tyson Chandler and his huge contract to Oklahoma City. They teams made the required call to the league office where both parties say "deal", and it was announced to the press. When Chandler failed his physical, the Thunder called it off.

The difference here was timing. This was a draft-day trade. The Wolves selected Luke Babbitt on Portland's behalf and traded Babbitt and Ryan Gomes for Webster. David Kahn and the Wolves wanted Webster, not Luke Babbitt. The draft moves on after each selection is made. Getting Martell to Minneapolis for an MRI wasn't feasible, and how would they have thought of going to that length if the Blazers really did fail to disclose known troubles stemming from Webster's fall in the playoffs?

My own speculation: I think this is probably the last we hear of this. More likely than the Blazers trying to screw over the Wolves by breaking the rules is that nobody understood the extent of the damage to Webster's back, and to prove otherwise would be difficult without a court case. The deal was a head-scratcher for Minnesota in the first place because Webster hasn't proven worth his contract. Kahn is making his predecessor, Kevin McHale, look competent by comparison. As I said, we don't know that Minnesota is seeking compensation, but what would they hope to gain here?

Not being a sports fan I have marveled for some time about how athletes are referred to when they are being "sold, traded or other wise exchanged" in the course of their careers.
I do think that the terms used are rather like those that were used during the time when people in this country were enslaved or held in economic bondage of some kind.
Frankly I do not understand why the athletes do not strongly object to these references.
I guess it may because of the actual dollars they may receive as compensation, at least at the beginning of their careers.

As someone pointed out on another website, the fact that Martel took a nasty spill during the playoffs wasn't a closely held secret. It happened in a nationally televised game.