The buzz surrounding the Minnesota Timberwolves this trade deadline has been relatively non-existent. The line of thinking around the team is that this is the group Tom Thibodeau wants to roll with.
If there is to be an adjustment, it is one that will likely come on the margins — perhaps a veteran who is bought out after the deadline.
That said, the Wolves do have a handful of bench players that would make sense to move. Minnesota has one of the best teams in the league and a daunting financial future — two realities that would suggest a move not only could happen but should. If the Wolves were to make a move, the four players below would be the most likely:
Shabazz Muhammad
| 2017-18 | 2018-19 | |
| Shabazz Muhammad | $1,577,230 | $1,795,015 (player option) |
Contract Details: Muhammad is on a minimum contract for this season. The following season he has a $1.8 million player option that — if he so chooses — can release him from the deal; making Muhammad an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Why Trade Him?: Muhammad wants to be traded or bought out of his deal, as ESPN reported on Saturday. The 24-year-old wing — and his agent Happy Walters — would like the opportunity to play for another team so as to showcase Muhammad. Appeasing the demands of Muhammad is a move that would provide goodwill not only with Bazz but — perhaps more importantly — Walters who has a hefty client list the Wolves could look to tap into in the future.
This stuff matters.
Moving Muhammad — who remains an exclusively offense-focused player — would open a roster spot for the Timberwolves. With more roster flexibility, the Wolves could pursue a free agent wing who better fits the team’s needs: defense.
With buyout season right around the corner, there will be a growing crop of free agents to choose from. Being relieved of Muhammad’s services could allow Tom Thibodeau to go shopping.
Why Keep Him?: If the Wolves cannot find a trade partner to simply absorb Muhammad, then, keeping him could be the most responsible decision. Attaching a draft pick to Muhammad’s contract in an effort to move him would be misguided given the relative price of the contract.
Glen Taylor also may not want to pay a player to not play for his team — convincing the Wolves to stand pat, leave Muhammad on the bench, and not buy him out.
Realistic Trade: A team with cap space (Atlanta, Brooklyn, Chicago, Dallas, Indiana, Phoenix, Sacramento) could absorb Muhammad’s salary into their space for a highly-protected 2nd round pick. Essentially — if a team wants Muhammad — the Wolves parting with him for nothing would be ideal.
Cole Aldrich
| 2017-18 | 2018-19 | |
| Cole Aldrich | $7,300,000 | $6,956,021 (non-guaranteed) |
Contract Details: Aldrich signed a three-year, $21.9 million contract in the 2016 offseason. The first two years of the deal were fully guaranteed but next season (the final year) is only guaranteed for $2 million of the $6.96 million.
Why Trade Him?: If the Wolves do not want to fully-guarantee Aldrich’s contract for next season, getting off that $2 million for next season makes sense. The issue in trading Aldrich is that the contract is largely viewed as a negative asset given his on-court production.
If the Wolves want to get aggressive attaching a more valuable asset (the 2018 first round pick of the Oklahoma City Thunder or Justin Patton) a team may be willing to not only swallow Aldrich’s contract but send back a player who could positively impact the Wolves’ rotation.
In so many words, Aldrich’s contract is a vessel to facilitate a trade for a player with a salary between $5 million and $10 million.
Why Keep Him?: Aldrich is by all accounts a good guy and a Minnesota native. There have been no reports of Aldrich wanting a trade that will allow him to play more. Filling the final spots on a roster with veteran players who are amiable to that role can be rare; Aldrich is that rarity.
Moreover, if the Wolves are not working a bigger deal — where Aldrich is the vessel to facilitate the action — there is little value in attaching assets to him simply to get off the $2 million he is owed next season. Minnesota could just eat that next year if they choose to waive him.
Realistic Trade: The most logical move would be using Aldrich’s contract to bring back a more meaningful player at a similar salary. This would likely require attaching the 2018 OKC first round pick that is currently slotted 20th overall.
Nemanja Bjelica
| 2017-18 | 2018-19 | |
| Nemanja Bjelica | $3,949,999 | Restricted Free Agent |
Contract Details: Bjelica signed a three-year, $11.7 million contract in the summer of 2015; this season is the last of that deal. The Wolves’ Serbian Forward who is shooting 44.6 percent from deep this season will hit the open — but restricted — market this coming summer.
Restricted free agency gives the Wolves “the right of first refusal” on the contract Bjelica signs next season. This essentially means Bjelica can sign an offer sheet anywhere he wants but the Wolves have the option of also offering the same deal. If the Wolves like the deal, they force Bjelica to stay.
Why Trade Him?: There is a chance that Bjelica is offered a long-term deal — up to four years — on the open market this summer. That length and/or price tag could remove Minnesota from the sweepstakes.
Hence the reason to consider a trade.
If Minnesota has an inclination that the price will be high, they may try and move him for a more certain asset — either a player on a pre-determined salary and/or a draft pick.
With Andrew Wiggins’ contract extension kicking in next season (5 years, $148 million) and Karl-Anthony Towns set to sign a contract extension this summer for up to $190 million over five seasons, the proposition of taking on any long-term money is concerning.
Why Keep Him?: Bjelica is a crucial piece to this Timberwolves team. Outside of Towns, Bjelica is the only real shooting threat. For a team starved for shooting, keeping Bjelica makes sense; even if they are going to lose him in free agency.
Bjelica also is not a lock to leave in free agency. The 29-year-old Serbian has come to feel comfortable in Minneapolis and he credits that comfort with his productivity surge this season. While Bjelica is in line for a raise he could be willing to work with the Wolves to find a common ground that fits the parameters of the complicated financial future in Minnesota.
Realistic Trade: If there is a strong inclination that Bjelica is leaving, moving him for a player with more cost-certainty (Jonathan Simmons, $12 million over the next two years) or a player who is simply younger (~Rodney Hood, 25-years-old) makes sense.
If acquired, a player like Hood could be re-signed by the Wolves long-term this offseason. Minnesota’s future currently and clearly has two windows forming: 1.) The current “vet” window; headlined by Jeff Teague, Taj Gibson, and Jamal Crawford. 2.) The “next” window; with the only certainties being Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns.
Rodney Hood — or another player in their 20’s (i.e., Stanley Johnson) — could be a part of both windows.
Utah reportedly wants a first-round pick for Hood. Bejlica’s cheap contract and productive play could lower that price to a second-round pick.
Gorgui Dieng
| 2017-18 | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | |
| Gorgui Dieng | $14,112,360 | $15,170,787 | $16,229,213 | $17,287,640 |
Contract Details: In the fateful summer of 2016, big men got overpaid. Infamously, Joakim Noah signed the worst contract in basketball: A 4-year, $72 million pact with the New York Knicks.
Timofey Mozgov and Ian Mahinmi inked slightly cheaper but similarly awful deals; both are in year-two of 4-year, $64 million contracts. That summer, Gorgui Dieng also signed a contract for 4-years and $64 million.
The distinction between Dieng’s deal and the others is that Dieng can still play. The other distinction is that Dieng’s contract was an extension, meaning it did not start until this year. Dieng is a year behind the other bigs in that way. This is unfortunate for the Wolves because it is a net negative deal.
Players can still be serviceable while being overpaid — that’s Dieng in a nutshell — but it does complicate their ability to be traded.
Why Trade Him?: To get off that contract.
The Lakers had to attach D’Angelo Russell to Mozgov so as to convince Brooklyn to take a deal. The Wizards are financially screwed with Mahinmi on the books but cannot afford to attach assets like Kelly Oubre in a trade because it would imply they aren’t trying to compete now. The Knicks are somewhere between the Lakers and Wizards situations — so they just decided to tell Noah to stop coming to work.
The Dieng situation in Minnesota appears to be most-similar to Washington. The Wolves would like to move Dieng and they are shopping him but do not want to simply dump him Mozgov-style. If they can get off Dieng without sacrificing anything crucial, they should. It would be the responsible long-term move.
Additionally, Dieng is the team’s only vessel to use if they want to go big game hunting. Perhaps for DeAndre Jordan.
Contracts need to match up in trades and Dieng’s $14.1 million this season — with a little cap fodder (Aldrich) — could net any player if there is mutual interest in a deal. (That interest will come at a price of Minnesota’s other assets.)
Why Keep Him?: Trading Dieng will certainly require attaching a pick, Justin Patton, or Tyus Jones depending on what is being returned. That is a hefty price to pay for any player that profiles as a rest-of-season rental.
Dieng is also a capable NBA player. Again, he is not Noah/Mozgov/Mahinmi.
The Wolves backup center is an excellent bench piece. If it weren’t for his contract Dieng would be gathering acclaim this season. While he may shoot half of his shots from the mid-range, Dieng does make well over 50 percent of those — 57.5 percent(!) from 10-16 feet. Guess what? That’s as good as someone who shoots high 30’s from 3 (#math).
Realistic Trade: In all likelihood, Dieng would only be in a trade for a player who makes $15 million or more and is a fair value at that contract. There aren’t many players that fit that billing on the market; let alone on teams that would be willing to take back long-term money.
Really, DeAndre Jordan would make the most sense — and even that is a long-shot because Los Angeles wouldn’t want Dieng’s money to clog their books. The Wolves would likely need to sweeten the pot beyond Dieng and a first to get the Clippers to cave.
Justin Patton (a potential center of the future) and a first could be enough. That first could be either the 2018 OKC pick or the Wolves’ 2022 first-round pick — the first pick of their own Minnesota can trade.
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