Timberwolves Free Agency: Houston Rockets
By Ben Beecken
The Houston Rockets were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs, but they don’t have much turnover to worry about over the summer. Are there any potential fits for the Timberwolves among those players that may leave H-Town?
Houston has a roster built around superstar James Harden, and it’s a roster that looks to stay virtually the same over the next few years.
Indeed, the likes of Harden, Ryan Anderson, and Eric Gordon are all under contract through 2020, although Harden has a player option in 2019-20. Trevor Ariza, Patrick Beverley, and Louis Williams are all under contract through next season, along with young players Montrezl Harrell, Clint Capela, and Sam Dekker, who are all still on their rookie contracts.
The Rockets have done a great job of surrounding a superstar with relatively affordable role players and young players on cheap rookie deals. That means that they won’t be losing much this summer.
It boils down to affordable veteran big man Nene Hilario…and that’s about it. Thirty-two-year-old guard (and former Timberwolf) Bobby Brown returned to the NBA after a six-year absence but only appeared in 25 games and isn’t more than an end-of-the-bench player. Troy Williams was signed at the end of March and played in six regular season games, starting three, but doesn’t have enough NBA experience to speak of in regards to free agency.
So, let’s talk about Nene.
The longtime Denver Nugget finished his only season in Houston averaging a career-low 17.9 minutes per game. He’ll be 35 years old when training camp begins, and is clearly a limited player at this stage.
But all that said…Nene is still an extremely productive big man. He’s primarily played center in recent years, and while he’s never been a rim protector, he’s always been a solid defensive presence in the paint.
Minnesota does have Gorgui Dieng, who is best utilized as a top-flight backup center, but he started at power forward last season. If the Wolves go out and add a starting-caliber power forward (like, say, Paul Millsap), Dieng could slide back into a reserve role. Plus, Cole Aldrich has two more years on his deal, too.
It’s tough to say that Nene is a perfect fit, although he’d fit the bill of a veteran leader who is solid on defense, and he’s always been a great offensive player. He won’t command a lot in the way of salary, either, although he’ll no doubt be looking to join a contender.
Next: Timberwolves Free Agency: A List of Team Needs
Verdict: Don’t count on the Timberwolves landing Nene, but if he was still out there a couple of weeks into free agency and the Wolves were looking to shore up their bench, Nene would be a fantastic addition.