As Minnesota Timberwolves fans move further into the offseason, I sense growing unrest. After such a tough postseason loss, folks want a shake-up. I get it. So I took to Twitter — the greatest website on planet Earth — to break down some of the ideas that fans have for Minnesota’s offseason. I’m going to take a look at what it would take to get Zach LaVine or John Collins on the Wolves’ roster, and whether either is possible — or worth it.
Sorry, before I dive in, my editors said I have to include this, otherwise they might fire me: Zone Coverage is the best website on planet Earth, not Twitter. I’m so sorry that I had previously misled all of my readers. I will be a good boy from now on.
Okay, back to the basketball!
Zach LaVine
First, let’s spend some time to understand what it would take for the Wolves to acquire Zach LaVine. LaVine is an unrestricted free agent, so he is free to sign here if he decides that Minnesota would be a good fit for him. Of course, that’s only if the Wolves can acquire him while also staying under the salary cap. That’s where it gets tricky. If the Wolves let Taurean Prince, Josh Okogie, and Jake Layman walk, they would still have about $2.5 million to spend on free agents. LaVine is reportedly looking for a maximum contract next season, with an annual salary of about $40 million.
The Wolves could also try using a sign-and-trade to acquire LaVine. That trade would have to clear out enough room on the Wolves’ books, which almost certainly means that Minnesota would have to part with D’Angelo Russell. However, the Chicago Bulls are already rich at guard with Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso, and Ayo Dosunmu. Therefore, I have my doubts that DLo would be a big enough piece to make Chicago agree to any sort of deal with the Wolves.
Would Tim Connelly be willing to mortgage future draft picks in his first season in the driver’s seat? I’m not sure. But even if both sides agree, any sign-and-trade would leave LaVine making less money overall because sign-and-trade contracts are limited to a maximum of 5% annual raises as opposed to the 8% raises that he could get if he re-signed with Chicago.
The LaVine dream is fun. Ant and LaVine would instantly be one of the most electric duos on the wing in the NBA. But all roads to his acquisition require a lot of luck, assets, or both. I think it’s time we put this discourse to bed.
John Collins
John Collins has long been a dream target for Wolves fans. He’s got a combination of skill and athleticism that make his upside a pretty good bet. His name has popped up in so many trade rumors that it seems the Hawks would be willing to move him to help improve their championship odds. I’m sure that Atlanta is looking to shake it up this summer after a disappointing season, and Collins may be part of that.
But what does Minnesota have to offer that the Hawks want?
The Miami Heat ran the Hawks out of the gym during the playoffs, 4-1. Atlanta’s big problem was their lack of playmaking outside of Trae Young. Young is one of the best new talents in the NBA, but it seems like carrying the load for Atlanta’s offense as often as he’s asked to might not be the best formula for success. I think back to their Eastern Conference Finals run last year, and their success was in no small part due to the incredibly hot shooting of Kevin Huerter and Bogdan Bogdanovic. While those two struggled this postseason, the Hawks’ playoff hopes came to a screeching halt.
Does it make sense for the Hawks to look for another guard to pair with Young to help take some of the offensive load off his shoulders? It seems like some Hawks fans feel that way. However, I don’t think that Russell is the ideal guard to pair with Young. Atlanta already has to hide Young on defense, so I doubt they want to bring in another guard who can’t contain anyone on the perimeter. But the seeds have been sown for Atlanta to want another star perimeter player. Maybe, just maybe, they fall in love with DLo.
Still, I need to pause this conversation right there and think about whether the Wolves really need Collins. I believe Wolves fans are dying for another legit big to play next to Karl-Anthony Towns to help the team’s rebounding and rim protection. I definitely see that need. Collins also provides some quality floor spacing at the power forward position, shooting 37.6% from three over his career. Those assets should help the Wolves.
The Collins-to-the-Wolves argument starts to break down for me when I think about versatility during the playoffs. Defensively, I don’t love the fit between Collins and Towns. Neither are quick enough to be able to switch out to the perimeter and stick with smaller players. This season, the Wolves’ defense found success because so many of the players surrounding DLo and KAT were long, quick, and switchable. Jarred Vanderbilt‘s ability to rotate, catch his feet, and stick with a ball-handler was key to the Wolves defense. Collins hasn’t shown that he can be that type of impact defender. Chris Finch would have to be creative in his defensive scheming to help minimize both KAT’s and Collins’ weaknesses.
That’s where I get stuck between two disparate ideologies. Is it worth making moves to ensure that a team is better for the regular season, or should a front office always make moves with championship equity in mind? Surely, Collins doesn’t raise the Wolves’ ceiling enough to push the Wolves into championship contention. But I would be a fool to think that he wouldn’t help Minnesota amass regular-season wins. As a Wolves fan, I’ve watched so much bad basketball that I’m hungry for a competitive product. At the same time, I recognize that Anthony Edwards is a special player. With him on the roster, it feels like the Wolves should be taking a long view and thinking about how to shape this roster to give them the best shot at winning the title.
Though the playoffs were disappointing, I believe that the Wolves should stand pat this offseason. As constructed, the Wolves are good. If Ant and Jaden McDaniels can continue to progress, there’s no reason that this team can’t win 50-plus games next year. Let’s see what this roster can do with another year of chemistry-building under Chris Finch.
