Speaking to WCCO 830’s Chad Hartman, Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor said his team can afford to pay Karl-Anthony Towns and Jimmy Butler the max, despite already having a maximum-salary extension for Andrew Wiggins on the books. However, in order to fill out the rest of the roster with complementary pieces, the Wolves may have to convince some veteran free agents to accept below-market deals.
As Jerry Zgoda of The Star Tribune details, title contenders like the Warriors, Cavaliers, and Rockets can often convince vets looking for championships to sign minimum-salary deals. Taylor is hoping the Wolves will be able to make a similar pitch, pointing to a star like Butler and a coach like Tom Thibodeau as potentially instrumental recruiters. “That really helps when you have that clout within the league,” Taylor said.
Here’s more from around the Northwest division:
- Jazz head coach Quin Snyder is happy to see assistant Igor Kokoskov receive consideration for the Suns‘ coaching job, per Eric Woodyard of The Deseret News. “I’ve told him for a number of years that I think he’s a head coach in the NBA,” Snyder said. “It’s taken him some time to see himself that way because he’s just been focused on doing his job.”
- Trail Blazers president of basketball operations Neil Olshey has pushed back against the idea that “sweeping changes” are needed in Portland after the team was swept out of the playoffs. John Canzano of The Oregonian makes a case for why those sort of “sweeping changes” may be necessary.
- Frank Urbina of HoopsHype offers up four potential destinations for Will Barton in free agency. Barton has spent the last three and a half seasons with the Nuggets and has expressed interest in sticking with the team, but Urbina also views the Suns, Pacers, and Sixers as viable suitors for the veteran swingman.
Don’t see Redick leaving Philly so forget about Philly. Indy already has Dipo at the 2 and the Suns have Book at the 2 and he is looking for a starting role so no. The Pistons would be a great fit, they need a guard who can score from the perimeter and serve as a playmaker to take pressure off Griffin and Drummond down low.
Redick May roll. Can’t see Sixers locking him up long term at 33
So was the purpose of the Max contract and Supermax to create a huge gap between salaries? If you have 3 max guys on a team, everyone else is paid peanuts.
Paying Wiggins, KAT, and Butler, max money is going to absolutely handcuff this team for a very long time.
Also, all three of them are overrated. Keep in mind, I said “overrated,” not “bad.” They’re still very good players, but not worth max money.
They’ll be a playoff team, but that doesn’t say much in the NBA, where every team and their mother makes the playoffs.
Kat is worth max but Wiggins wasn’t and butler isn’t either
If you give the max to Wiggins, then you kind of have to give it to Butler and Towns too. So their philosophy is set… 3 maxes, then hope for bargains.