Around this time a year ago, Timberwolves' Trades for 2022 Rudy Gobert It was widely seen as a complete disaster and a cautionary tale for any team considering selling their team for one player.
The big trade cost Minnesota three solid starters.Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverleyand Jared Vanderbilt), a young center who had a great rookie season with his new team in 2022/23 (Walker Kessler), who will be selected in the 2023 draft. Keionte Georgeplus four future draft assets, including two unprotected first-round picks, one top-five protected first-round pick and one unprotected first-round pick swap.
In Gobert's first season with the team, the Timberwolves regressed, winning just 42 games after going 46-36 in 2021-22, and the three-time Defensive Player of the Year struggled to adjust to his new situation. As the 2023 offseason began, many experts and fans called for Minnesota to dismantle its frontcourt by trading either Gobert or (more likely) the NBA. Karl-Anthony Towns.
It's amazing how much changes in a year.
Instead of dismantling their core, the Timberwolves opted to stick relatively where they were last summer, gambling that Towns' improved health, more time for Gobert to adjust and further development for their rising stars would be enough. Anthony Edwardsand the stabilizing impact of the 2023 deadline addition. Mike ConleyThey were right.
The Timberwolves' 56-26 record was just one game behind the best record in the Western Conference, and Gobert was much more consistent in his second season in Minnesota, winning his fourth Defensive Player of the Year award as the centerpiece of a team that posted the NBA's best defensive rating (108.4).
After surviving the regular season with flying colors, the Wolves entered the playoffs looking to win their first postseason series since 2004. Not only did they win, they did it with ease. Kevin Durant, Devin Bookerand eliminated the Suns in the first round. Minnesota, to be sure, followed up their dominating first-round victory with a hard-fought seven-game victory over the division rival Nuggets in the second round.
But what had been a dream season to that point ended in disappointment, as Minnesota, despite entering the Western Conference Finals as the top seed and overwhelming favorite against Dallas, was unable to match Dallas' offensive firepower. Luka Doncic and Kyrie IrvingThey then lost three straight games at home to the Mavericks, losing the series 1-4.
Despite the disappointing result, the season was still a huge success for the Timberwolves. Edwards' rise to stardom and dominant defensive performance give them reason to believe they can have a much longer postseason run in the years to come. The challenge going forward will be keeping the core intact as player costs rise and billionaires compete for control of the franchise.
Edwards, Towns, All-Defensive Wings Jaden McDaniels This summer, the team's payroll will receive a substantial raise that exceeds the second tax credit, but longtime owner Glen Taylor And led by a group of potential new owners. Mark Lore and Alex Rodriguez They will now head to arbitration to determine who will ultimately be the club's majority shareholder.
This roster is capable of competing for a title and is worth the high luxury tax, but operating on the second apron limits the front office's ability to make additional moves and raises concerns about whether such a high salary structure can be sustained without knowing who will foot the bill.
Timberwolves offseason plans
Let's start with the cap situation. Towns, Gobert and Edwards are currently under contract with max salaries of between $42-50 million in 2024/25, so those three alone will take up nearly the entire $141 million cap. Add in McDaniels' $23 million and you get: Naz Reid With Duran at $14 million and Conley at $10 million, this roster gets expensive fast.
The second apron is projected to be $189.5 million. Minnesota's nine players with guaranteed contracts will be paid a combined $191 million, which doesn't include the cap hit for the team's first-round pick ($2.55 million) or new contracts for free agents. Kyle Anderson, Monte Morrisand Jordan McLaughlinWithout cost-cutting measures, the team's payroll would likely exceed $200 million and the luxury tax penalty would be at least $75 million, which are relatively conservative estimates.
Some teams don't care about those numbers at all, especially if they have the depth to compete for a title. The Clippers reportedly paid more than $142 million in team taxes this season for not making the second round of the playoffs. The Warriors were fined $177 million for not even making the playoffs.
But Taylor's Timberwolves have not been keen on going over the luxury tax cap – they have never paid more than $1 million in tax in the past 20 years – and it's unclear whether Rohr and Rodriguez will be big spenders, given that they had to raise capital multiple times during the franchise acquisition process and reportedly anticipated taking a pay cut in 2024/25 (though this is said to be common practice that doesn't preclude subsequent adjustments).
Towns would be a player to watch if the Timberwolves decide they need to improve their cap situation. Towns is one of the best frontcourt shooters in NBA history, but the emergence of Edwards has made him a second option on offense and not a valuable asset on defense. Playing Towns next to Gobert would be difficult in certain matchups because neither big man performs at his best when chasing forwards or winging the perimeter.
Towns' $49.35 million salary for 2024-25 will be the highest ever for a Minnesota player, and the team has a bench player who could replace Towns in the starting five if needed. Reid is no KAT, but the reigning NBA Sixth Man of the Year is coming off his best season and is making a fraction of Towns' salary.
Still, all of the reasons Towns would be the loosest of the team's highest-paid players would work against the Wolves if they were to make him a trade target. Towns' four-year, maximum-paid contract would be burdensome and unrealistic for many clubs under the new collective bargaining agreement, and any trade partner would have to be in a position to surround him with the right talent. Moreover, the Wolves would want to not only shed Towns' salary, but also bring back quality rotation players at a much lower price. That would be difficult.
My guess is the Timberland Tigers won't do anything too drastic this summer. Tim Connelly Taylor and his front office are willing to wait patiently for the talent to come together, and the current roster has worked well together for much of the season. As for ownership, the conflict is unlikely to be resolved in the coming weeks, and as long as Taylor maintains majority control, it's unlikely he'll want to take the PR flak that would come with a drastic payroll cut after the team's best season in 20 years.
Barring any major moves, it could be a fairly quiet summer in Minnesota, with Edwards, Towns, Gobert, McDaniels, Conley, Reid and building a roster beyond the top seven becoming a priority. Nickeil Alexander WalkerAs a second-apron team, the Wolves do not have access to any form of mid-level or semi-annual exception and cannot add up salary in a trade, limiting their options.
Wendell Moore, Leonard Millerand Josh Minot With two players under contract for next season (Minot's salary is nonguaranteed) and cap hits below the veteran minimum in year two, I expect Miller and Minot to return, but Moore is a bit pricey and has barely played his first two seasons, making him a trade candidate unless the Wolves continue to believe in his future.
If two of those three young guys return, Minnesota would have at least five open spots. The team would welcome the return of Anderson, Morris and McLaughlin if they were willing to accept minimum-salary contracts, but at least Anderson and Morris should get stronger offers, and maybe McLaughlin too. The Wolves have the Bird Rights needed to make competitive offers for those players, but it would cost significantly more than just the players' salaries given how much the club pays in taxes.
Minnesota also holds the 27th and 37th picks in this year's draft and is in position to add a few low-cost prospects, but with Anderson and Morris gone, the front office will likely head to the free-agent market in search of at least two rotational veterans, particularly in the backcourt and on the wing. Kyle Lowry, Cameron Payne, Alec Burks, Lonnie Walkerand Justin Holiday These are some of the free agents available on minimum contracts who could fit on the Timberwolves' roster.
Gobert is the only notable extension candidate this offseason. He could be eligible for free agency as early as next summer if he declines his 2025/26 player option, but he'll remain eligible for an extension after the regular season begins, so the Timberwolves shouldn't be in a rush to get anything done before the season starts.
Salary Cap Situation
Guaranteed salary
Karl-Anthony Towns ($49,350,000)
- Towns' cap hit is a provisional figure based on 35% of the projected $141 million cap.
- Rudy Gobert ($43,827,586)
- Anthony Edwards ($42,300,000)
- Edwards' cap hit is a provisional figure based on 30% of the projected $141 million cap.
- Jaden McDaniels ($23,017,242)
- McDaniels' salary cap includes a base salary of $22,586,207 and incentives of $431,035.
- Naz Reid ($13,986,432)
- Mike Conley ($9,975,962)
- Nickeil Alexander Walker ($4,312,500)
- Wendell Moore ($2,537,040)
- Leonard Miller ($1,891,857)
- Total: $191,198,619
Non-guaranteed salary
- Josh Minot ($2,019,699)
- If Minot's contract runs through June 28, his salary will become guaranteed.
- Jalen Clark (Two-way)
- Total: $2,019,699
Death/Withholding Salary
Player Options
Team Options
Restricted Free Agents
- Luka Garza ($2,368,944 qualifying offer / $2,368,944 cap hold): Bird Rights
- Total (Maximum): $2,368,944
Two-way free agency
Draft picks
- 27th overall pick (cap hold: $2,554,200)
- 37th overall pick (no cap hold)
- Total (Maximum): $2,554,200
Players eligible for contract extension
- Rudy Gobert (veteran)
- Jordan McLaughlin (veteran)
- It can be extended until June 30th.
- Josh Minot (veteran)
- Monte Morris (veteran)
- It can be extended until June 30th.
Note: Unless otherwise noted, these players will be eligible for extensions starting in July.
Unrestricted Free Agent
- Monte Morris ($18,621,759 cap): Bird Rights
- Kyle Anderson ($11,985,366 cap reservation): Early bird rights
- Jordan McLaughlin (Capped at $4,598,000): Bird rights
- TJ Warren (Cap $2,093,637): Non-avian rights
- Total (Maximum): $37,298,762
Other Cap Holds
- Evan Turner (Maximum: $27,909,834)
- Aaron Brooks (Maximum amount is $2,019,706)
- Greg Monroe (Maximum amount is $2,019,706)
- Austin Rivers (Maximum amount is $2,019,706)
- Total (Maximum): $33,968,952
NOTE: The cap holds for these players remain on the Timberwolves' records from this past season because they have not been waived. They cannot be used in sign-and-trade transactions.
Cap exceptions apply
NOTE: The Timberwolves plan to operate above the cap and the second tax bracket, which means they cannot utilize the mid-level exception, the semi-annual exception, or the trade exception worth $4 million. If they fall below the second tax bracket, they will be able to utilize the taxpayer mid-level exception ($5,183,000). If they fall below both tax brackets, they will be able to utilize the non-taxpayer mid-level exception ($12,859,000), the semi-annual exception ($4,681,000), and the trade exception.
