Month: June 2018

3. Who is on the trade block?

While Wiggins may not technically be on the trade block this offseason, I believe the Wolves would be willing to move him in the right deal. There are other players on the roster whom the team might try a little harder to trade.

The most obvious trade candidate is Gorgui Dieng, who saw his role reduced last season due to the arrival of Taj Gibson, a Tom Thibodeau favorite. A solid rebounder and rim protector whose offensive game is somewhat limited, Dieng can play both power forward and center, making him a good third big man to have on a roster. However, Thibodeau’s approach to his rotation means Dieng doesn’t see nearly enough action to warrant the team’s investment in him — he has three years and $48MM remaining on his contract.

Dieng doesn’t have positive trade value at this point, so the Wolves would probably need to attach an asset to him to make a deal, whether that means a first-round pick or perhaps a youngster like Justin Patton or Tyus Jones.

Elsewhere on the roster, Gibson and Jeff Teague probably aren’t strong candidates to be moved, since they were the veterans hand-picked by Thibodeau last summer. Cole Aldrich, whose $7MM salary for 2018/19 is only guaranteed for about $2MM, makes for an interesting trade piece, since he could be used to match salaries, then waived by his new team. If Minnesota intends to take advantage of that though, it will need to be soon, as Aldrich’s salary becomes fully guaranteed before the new league year begins.

4. Will Derrick Rose and/or Nemanja Bjelica be back?

Having already brought Butler and Gibson with him to Minnesota, Thibodeau didn’t surprise anyone by signing his former MVP to a rest-of-season contract in March. Rose, who had been traded by the Cavs and waived by the Jazz at the deadline, appeared unlikely to make an impact for an NBA team at that point, but Thibodeau and the Wolves managed to coax some solid play out of him down the stretch — the veteran point guard was one of the club’s most reliable contributors during its limited playoff run.

It likely wouldn’t break the bank to bring Rose back, so I think there’s a good chance that he and the Wolves will work something out. However, I think it’s less likely that Bjelica will re-sign. After knocking down 41.5% of his three-pointers last season, Bjelica will be in high demand from teams seeking a stretch four, and it would make sense for him to join a team where he’d have either a larger role or a better shot at a title.

5. How can the Timberwolves add shooting?

With Bjelica perhaps headed elsewhere, and Jamal Crawford seemingly unlikely to return to the Wolves, the team will be in desperate need of some outside shooting, with limited resources available to acquire it.

The draft represents one avenue to add a shooter. While the Wolves’ traded their own first-round pick (No. 19), they hold the Thunder’s first-rounder (No. 20) and will end up drafting in virtually the same spot they would have with their own selection. Minnesota also has the No. 48 pick in the second round.

In the first round, even if players like Jerome Robinson and Kevin Huerter are off the board by the time Minnesota on the clock, there should be plenty of good options available. Donte DiVincenzo, Grayson Allen, Jacob Evans, Khyri Thomas, Josh Okogie, and Gary Trent Jr. are among the strong outside shooters who will likely be up for grabs. Keita Bates-Diop is also an intriguing option if the club expects to lose Bjelica.

It’s trickier to predict which prospects will still be on the board by No. 48, but Landry Shamet and Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk are among the sharpshooters projected to be drafted in that neighborhood.

Of course, Thibodeau generally favors veterans, so shooting figures to be a top priority for the Wolves in free agency. While the club won’t have cap room available, it may be able to use its full mid-level exception without crossing the tax apron. Usual suspects like Wayne Ellington, Marco Belinelli, J.J. Redick, and Joe Harris could be targets. Trevor Ariza, Ersan Ilyasova, Anthony Tolliver, and Luke Babbitt are among the options available in the frontcourt.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Timberwolves financially:

Guaranteed Salary

• Andrew Wiggins ($25,250,000)¹
• Jimmy Butler ($20,445,779)
• Jeff Teague ($19,000,000)
• Gorgui Dieng ($15,170,787)
• Taj Gibson ($14,000,000)
• Karl-Anthony Towns ($7,839,435)
• Justin Patton ($2,667,600)
• Tyus Jones ($2,444,053)
• Cole Aldrich ($2,056,021) — Partial guarantee. Non-guaranteed portion noted below.²
• Kevin Martin ($1,360,304) — Waived via stretch provision
  
• Total: $110,233,979
  

Player Options

• None

Team Options

• None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

• Cole Aldrich ($4,900,000) — Partial guarantee. Guaranteed portion noted above.²
• Total: $4,900,000
  

Restricted Free Agents

• Nemanja Bjelica ($4,937,499 qualifying offer / $7,504,998 cap hold): Bird rights
• Marcus Georges-Hunt ($1,699,698 qualifying offer / $1,699,698 cap hold): Non-Bird rights
• Amile Jefferson ($1,537,872 qualifying offer / $1,537,872 cap hold): Non-Bird rights
• Anthony Brown ($1,499,698 qualifying offer / $1,499,698 cap hold): Non-Bird rights³
• Total: $12,242,266

Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds

• Jamal Crawford ($5,193,600): Non-Bird rights⁴
• No. 20 overall pick ($2,142,395)
• Aaron Brooks ($1,499,698): Non-Bird rights
• Derrick Rose ($1,499,698): Non-Bird rights
• Total: $10,335,391

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Projected Cap Room: None

• If we assume the Timberwolves waive and stretch Aldrich and keep their other eight players with guaranteed salaries, we can add cap charges for their first-round pick and three empty roster slots to arrive at a total team salary of $113,499,626. That takes the Wolves well over the cap, and projects to take them near the luxury tax line too if they want to use most or all of their mid-level exception.

Footnotes:

1. Wiggins will have a maximum salary worth 25% of the salary cap. This projected max salary is based on a $101MM cap, but it could be higher or lower depending on where the cap lands.
2. Aldrich’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after June 20.
3. Brown, who was on a two-way contract, is eligible for a qualifying offer equivalent to a standard, minimum-salary NBA contract, since he’s no longer eligible to sign another two-way deal.
4. Crawford has reportedly decided to decline his 2018/19 player option worth $4,544,400.

Note: Rookie scale cap holds are estimates based on salary cap projections and could increase or decrease depending on where the cap lands.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders was used in the creation of this post. Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.