The Timberwolves need to take drastic action on Andrew Wiggins to get the franchise back on the right track, according to Michael Rand and Jim Souhan of The Star Tribune. Wiggins has regressed this year in the first season of a $147.7MM extension. His shooting percentage has dropped to a career-low 40.0% and he ranks last in the league in true shooting among 92 players who have logged at least 1,700 minutes.
Souhan believes Minnesota should do whatever it can to trade Wiggins this summer. Rand recommends taking away his starting spot, but admits that would only lower any trade value he still has. He adds that trading Wiggins now would mean selling him at a low point and likely taking back an expensive contract in return. Souhan contends that the Wolves are better without Wiggins, stating that the priority should be to get rid of him and accept whatever return they can get.
There’s more today out of Minnesota:
- With Tom Thibodeau gone, the future of the “TimberBulls” – the ex-Chicago players he brought to Minnesota – is uncertain, writes Britt Robson of The Athletic. Derrick Rose, Taj Gibson and Luol Deng will all be free agents this summer and may be able to get better deals elsewhere. Rose has revived his career with the Wolves, but Robson notes that his value is only high when his shot is falling and he comes with a constant injury risk. Rose should receive several mid-level offers in the $6-8MM range, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
- The best chance for interim head coach Ryan Saunders to keep his job is for ownership to recognize how he has been adapting to a short-handed situation, notes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. Keita Bates-Diop got his first career start in Saturday’s victory over the Wizards and Cameron Reynolds, who is on his second 10-day contract, played 20 minutes. Krawczynski points out that Saunders’ roster hasn’t been fully healthy since he took over for Thibodeau.
- If the Wolves’ pick falls in the middle of the lottery, they could be the team to gamble on Bol Bol, Rand suggests in a separate story. The Oregon center was projected as a top-five pick before suffering an injury to his left foot.
These NBA front offices must be run by morons. Why is it that anytime signs a mega-deal, they’re on the trade block a year later (see: Hassan Whiteside, Tyler Johnson, Blake Griffin, etc). You’d think they’d consider said player to be a franchise cornerstone before inking them to a billion dollars.
They are afraid to let them walk and waste the asset.
I still think they should talk to Memphis about to taking back Parsons for Wiggins. Neither team should have to add anything of value and Wiggy could get a fresh start on a team where it’s all about grit and grind. Twolves could buyout Parsons and then stretch the leftover money over 3 seasons. Then they could draft a good wing like Nassir Little, Jarrett Culver or DeAndre Hunter whoever is there for them at 10-13. Idk where this Bol Bol idea is coming from when they have KAT a top 3 or 4 center in the league.
The Grizzlies are one season away of getting rid of Parsons and there’s no way they are contenders next season. Why in the world would they trade Parsons’ expiring contract for 4 years of a highly underwhelming (and even more expensive!) Wiggins? They should be crazy to do that.
True Wiggins has been underwhelming but he did average like 23 2 seasons ago. Maybe he still got that in him somewhere and Memphis could be the team to benefit.
Even when he averaged 23 points per game he lacked any defensive effort. I’m not saying that Wiggins cannot contribute within the right system. But he is certainly not a max player and he is getting max money for the next 4 years. He is not going to get a fresh start anywhere at that price tag.
“Souhan: He’s tradable if you emphasize getting rid of him over getting value for him.”
Is this the first local voice that understands negative trade value and that Wiggins qualifies?
You get NOTHING except capspace at best.
Bol Bol is a total steal for any team at mid lottery, without the injury, in my opinion, he was a top 2-4 pick after Zion & in the mix with RJ & Cam. But I am not sure for Minny though, they already have KAT, unless they would wanna try Bol at 4 a la KP6, could work, right?
Rose needs to come back home to Chicago and finish what he started. He’ll be a great mentor to the “baby Bulls.” Let’s get this done!! Just like the Coldplay and Kanye song. You’re “coming home.”
And Taj, of course, too.