Redick Wasn’t Worth The Money
Free Agency
The Minnesota Timberwolves are in some unfamiliar territory this offseason.
Minnesota is in the playoff hunt and the season hasn’t even started. After trading for Jimmy Butler on draft night Minnesota’s future instantly changed.Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and the 7th overall pick (Lauri Markkanen) for Jimmy Butler and the 16th pick (Justin Patton).
They started it all when they sent Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and the 7th overall pick (Lauri Markkanen) to the Chicago Bulls for Jimmy Butler and the 16th pick (Justin Patton).
Butler himself made Minnesota a better team but Tom Thibodeau and Scott Layden weren’t finished with revamping this team.
More from Dunking with Wolves
- The dream starting 5 for Minnesota Timberwolves 5 years from now
- Anthony Edwards’ latest accolade is a great sign of things to come
- In an OT thriller, Team Canada snatches Bronze from Team USA
- Timberwolves start, bench, cut: Mike Conley, Shake Milton, Jordan McLaughlin
- Which Timberwolves roster additions have upgraded the bench?
Thibs and Layden did the thing that had been spoken for years which was trading Ricky Rubio.
Rubio was sent to the Utah Jazz for the 2018 Oklahoma City Thunder first-round pick. The Timberwolves then followed up the trade by signing Jeff Teague.
Teague signing was followed by the signing of Taj Gibson. This signing received mixed signals as he signed for 2 years 28 million.
This signing basically took the remainder of the Timberwolves cap space. Most fans thought the Timberwolves would go after a shooter.
JJ Redick was the name most desired and the interest was mutual between Redick and Timberwolves.
Ultimately Redick decided to sign a one-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers for 23million.
Yes, the 76ers and yes for 23million! The Timberwolves definitely need 3-point shooting.
Of the top three scorers heading into next season, Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins and Butler, none shot above 37 percent from the three.
So adding Redick would have been nice but not for the price he demanded. Thibodeau believes in a defensively played game.
Redick over his twelve seasons has never averaged a steal not a single one. Yes, Redick is a dead eye.
Just That
We all know that but that’s where it stops when it comes to Redick he is just a dead eye.
He doesn’t crash the boards averaging just 2.2 rebounds. Nor does he have the playmaking ability
This year Redick averaged 1.4 assists per game and to go along with that he averaged 1.3 turnovers per game.
Therefore Redick pretty much averaged 15 points, two rebounds, and zero assists.
That isn’t what the Timberwolves need on this team yes shooting is needed for this team but not 23 million a year shooting.
I truly believe that Butler and Wiggins will increase their 3-point percentages seeing as they have done it each year they have been in the league.
Besides Butler and Wiggins improving, Thibodeau has always been known for a more defensive pound it out game.
What we lack in shooting we should be able to exploit with physicalness, Wiggins playing the two is a nightmare for any two guards.
The same could be said about Butler but Thibodeau would also have the luxury of running Butler at the point because of his play-making ability.
Add in a Gibson and Towns post and rebound ability this is a terror for most teams in the league.
Next: Ricky Rubio: 5 memorable moments
The Timberwolves will find shooting whether through trades, free agency or summer league but trust me when I say we didn’t need Redick.