The Minnesota Timberwolves’ one big problem
The Minnesota Timberwolves may be having their most promising offseason in years, but the new signings are creating one very big problem.
The Minnesota Timberwolves have been building around a young core of Andrew Wiggins, Karl-Anthony Towns and Zach LaVine. Even though LaVine was sent to Chicago as part of the Jimmy Butler trade that saw the start of a new-look Timberwolves, it’s fair to say Wiggins and Towns are integral players in Minnesota.
One story that has been flying under the radar this offseason is Andrew Wiggins eligibility for a contract extension, as he enters his final year of his rookie contract this season.
The main reason this story hasn’t been heard much? The Timberwolves lack the money to give him that extension.
With Taj Gibson signing a two-year $28 million contract, and Jeff Teague‘s three-year $57 million deal costing a lot more than the dearly-departed Ricky Rubio‘s remaining two-year $29 million contract would, the Timberwolves are throwing the cash at newcomers, and not saving any for its’ young stars.
Yes, the salary cap has increased this year, and the Timberwolves will have more money to work with, but will it be enough to keep Andrew Wiggins around? If Gorgui Dieng, who has averaged 8.9 points a game throughout his time in Minnesota, gets a four-year $64 million contract in Minnesota, what will Andrew Wiggins receive, or at least expect?
Dunking with Wolves recently posted an article on why Andrew Wiggins deserves the max, but Timberwolves fans should be hoping thats not the case, or he could be going somewhere else to get it.
Otto Porter, who is in the very situation Wiggins may find himself next offseason, was reportedly offered a max-contract from the Sacramento Kings, and the Washington Wizards are left with a hard decision to make.
If the same situation occurs with Andrew Wiggins next year, the Wolves mightn’t even be in the running to make a decision on his landing spot, due to the amount of money other players on the roster will be receiving. If the Kings don’t get their small-forward in Otto Porter this year, they may just pursue Wiggins next offseason.
With all the issues already in play over Wiggins future-contract (or lack thereof), perhaps the biggest issue of all still stands. Karl-Anthony Towns, the Minnesota Timberwolves’ new face of the franchise, will be in the very same situation the year after, when his rookie contract expires.
From next offseason, when the Timberwolves will likely be deciding the fate of Andrew Wiggins in Minnesota, Karl-Anthony Towns will also be eligible for a contract extension, and I believe his stats prove he’s even more worthy of a max-contract than Wiggins is. Gibson’s deal with the Timberwolves will be done by the time Towns’ turn comes around, but that’s another roster spot that the Timberwolves will have to spend money to fill.
Andrew Wiggins is on the Timberwolves’ payroll for $7.6 million this coming season, but with Jeff Teague, Jimmy Butler and Gorgui Dieng all over $15 million the following year, and Taj Gibson only a million less, its’ hard to believe Andrew Wiggins won’t be expecting a big contract to come his way, and that’s the very problem. The Timberwolves have dolled out big contracts as of late, leaving its young stars to expect nothing less when their time comes, yet the money is already invested in the other contracts.
The Minnesota Timberwolves do of course have the option of exceeding the salary cap to sign Wiggins and Towns, but this would open us up to a world of luxury tax that the front office may not be willing to pay, depending on how the Timberwolves finish up the next couple of seasons.
Next: Minnesota Timberwolves: 5 remaining free agent targets
The Minnesota Timberwolves have had arguably one of the best offseasons in the league this year, but it could all come back to bite them when its’ young stars expect their share of the money.