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Minnesota Timberwolves: Trade value rankings

By Brian Sampson

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 31: Head coach Tom Thibodeau of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 31: Head coach Tom Thibodeau of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images /
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MINNEAPOLIS, MN – JANUARY 20: Gorgui Dieng #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves looks on during the game against the Toronto Raptors on January 20, 2018 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – JANUARY 20: Gorgui Dieng #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves looks on during the game against the Toronto Raptors on January 20, 2018 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /

11. Gorgui Dieng

Gorgui Dieng has seen his playing time decrease significantly this season after the acquisition of Taj Gibson. He’s averaging 17.8 minutes per game, the lowest of his career excluding his rookie season.

Despite his drop in playing time, his scoring, rebounding and shooting numbers are right around his career averages.

The difficult part, however, lies in the money he’s owed over the next four seasons.

Dieng is in the first year of a four-year $62.8 million contract extension he signed after Thibodeau took over as the President of Basketball Operations. Woof. Talk about a bad first deal. Dieng makes a little over $14 million this season, but the contract increases in value over the next four years until it caps out in 2020-21 at $17.2.

Paying that much money for a backup big man is something teams are going to be very unwilling to do. Especially considering the gluttony of other serviceable seven-footers lying around the NBA. I mean, the Nets only received a protected second-round pick and a busted shooting guard in exchange for a similar player in Tyler Zeller.

It would be great if the Timberwolves could rid themselves of Dieng’s contract, but that seems highly unlikely going into the trade deadline.

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