What’s next in free agency for the Timberwolves?

The Timberwolves have already done work in free agency, adding a trio of veterans to shore up the rotation. But what’s next as the market begins to dwindle?

The free agent additions of Jeff Teague, Taj Gibson, and Jamal Crawford have nearly completed what should be a revamped rotation for head coach and front office boss Tom Thibodeau come fall, but the team’s depth — most notably on the wing — leaves much to be desired.

Behind superstar newcomer Jimmy Butler and incumbent rising star Andrew Wiggins, combo guard Jamal Crawford is the only true wing. While he played the majority of his minutes at the small forward spot last year for the Los Angeles Clippers, the best minutes of his lengthy NBA career have come with him at the two-guard.

Indeed, part of the reason that Crawford was so bad defensively (and really, he struggled mightily on both ends of the court) a year ago was that he was forced into playing the three. One would expect him to almost always play alongside one of Butler or Wiggins, meaning that he’d be able to play shooting guard and not be overextended on defense.

That means that there are no true backup small forwards on the roster. Nemanja Bjelica could play there in a limited capacity, but he’ll have a tough time guarding opposing threes. And after Bjelly and Crawford, well, that’s it.

Thibodeau stated as much in Monday’s introductory press conference for Teague and Gibson.

Thibs reiterates that they still want two wings and a PG. Shooting still a want with these openings. #Twolves
— Darren Wolfson (@DWolfsonKSTP) July 10, 2017

The Wolves need at least one more player who can play some two-guard, and ideally they would add two guys who could play at the three. Point guard is likely a position that will be addressed with a veteran minimum deal, likely more to create competition with Tyus Jones and depth behind him than anything.

The Timberwolves don’t have any cap space remaining and would need to make a trade (almost certainly involving Cole Aldrich and his $7.3 million for 2017-18 and partially guaranteed contract for 2018-19) in order to open their checkbooks once again. Otherwise, the Wolves will only be armed with potential veteran minimum contracts to hand out.

That limits what they can do, of course. The likes of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Thabo Sefolosha are still on the market, and while they’d be awesome fits for what the Timberwolves need, they won’t be joining the Wolves at the minimum.

More from Free Agency

So, who’s out there that might accept that contract? On the wing, veterans such as Matt Barnes and Leandro Barbosa are still out there. Tom Thibodeau favorite Mike Dunleavy, Jr. is there, too. All three are becoming more and more limited by the year, but can knock down three-pointers at a high rate and contribute in other areas as well.

Younger options that provide shooting and…not much else…include Anthony Morrow and Luke Babbitt. Former Timberwolf Gerald Green is a bit more well-rounded and probably could be had for the minimum. And don’t forget about Brandon Rush, either.

A combo guard option that would perhaps split the baby is another former Timberwolf: Randy Foye. The Wolves are rumored to have had contact, but he’s more or less a shorter, less effective version of Jamal Crawford. It would seem to make more sense for Minnesota to add a couple of true wings that could fill in at the small forward spot than another combo guard who you wouldn’t necessarily want handling point guard duties for any stretch of time.

In terms of pure point guards on the market, your looking at a relatively uninspiring list. Ty Lawson and Aaron Brooks are two popular names that the Wolves have reportedly had some interest in, although those guys could be seeking more salary and would certainly expect to play over the likes of Tyus Jones, who currently slots in as the top backup.

C.J. Watson is another former Thibodeau player who is a career 37.3 percent three-point shooter and was just waived by Orlando, but he’s hit on only 30.1 percent of his long-range attempts over the past two seasons. In terms of younger players that are more along the lines of a third-string option, Isaiah Canaan is one of the names that stands out.

Don’t expect a ton of action in the coming days, either. There is no reason for most of the guys listed above to sign for the veteran minimum anytime soon. It makes some sense to wait and see how the rest of the market develops and what needs teams have as we roll through July and August.

Next: DWW Podcast: Free Agency and Summer League

That said, we’ll continue to speculate and pass along rumors here at Dunking With Wolves. Keep your internet dials tuned here, folks.