Minnesota Timberwolves: Top 5 low-cost free agents

With the NBA draft and free agency period are both rapidly approaching, let’s take a look at some acquisitions the Minnesota Timberwolves might look at making during the offseason.

With word already out that Jamal Crawford will opt-out of his player option, the Timberwolves are in need of some firepower off the bench. However, their cap space makes this free agency period much more difficult than the last.

With some room to fill in the gaps last season, the Timberwolves were able to secure some big-name players that helped them to their first playoffs since 2004.

In the coming season, however, the Wolves have more money owed to fewer players, thanks to the jump in Andrew Wiggins’ salary from last years’ $7.5 million to $25 million in 2018-19.

Other players receiving a boost, albeit much smaller than Wiggins’, include Jimmy Butler, Karl-Anthony Towns, Gorgui Dieng and Tyus Jones, to the tune of roughly $1 million each.

Funnily enough, Tyus Jones is currently contracted to make the least money of the Wolves next year, just behind Justin Patton and $4 million behind Cole Aldrich. This being the last year of his contract, the Timberwolves may also want to start working on an extension for the young guard if they plan on keeping him around as the top backup to Jeff Teague.

With the starting core still contracted for next season, the Timberwolves will mostly be searching the free agent market for solid role players to come off the bench, for which there are plenty of options on the market.

Here are five of the best low-cost free agents for the Timberwolves to consider this free agency.

#1 – Wayne Ellington

First up is a player that I can see filling the role of what Jamal Crawford did best, and hopefully for a similar price.

Crawford made less than $4.5 million last season with the Wolves, while Ellington is coming off a 2-year $12 million deal is seven years younger, and had somewhat of a breakout season in Miami.

The market for Ellington is yet to be seen, however there are surely to be some suitors for the knock-down shooter. Thus, the Timberwolves may have to spend a little more than they wish to secure a player of his caliber.

But with the promise of a sixth-man to add to the roster, and with the knowledge that Tom Thibodeau chooses to stick to a tight rotation, the addition of Ellington could be well worth spending a bit more in the long run.

Last season for the Miami Heat, Ellington shot 39% percent from 3-point range on his way to averaging a career-high 11.2 points per game off the bench.

Debatably, the Timberwolves are in a better position to challenge for a championship compared to Ellington’s Miami Heat, which may be a card the Wolves can play to lure to shooting guard to Minnesota.

You may recall that Ellington played his first three NBA seasons in Minnesota after the Wolves drafted him 28th in the 2009 NBA Draft. I would be happy to welcome Ellington back to Minnesota as he could fill the bench role left by Crawford, and lead the Wolves’ second unit.

#2 – Luc Mbah a Moute

Another role player whose three point shooting could come in handy is Luc Mbah a Moute. In 61 games for the Houston Rockets this regular season, Mbah a Moute averaged 7.5 points, shooting 36 percent from 3-point range, and managing 15 starts in one of the best offensive teams in the league.

Mbah a Moute could fill the role of either small or power forward for the Timberwolves, and ideally would be adding some much-needed defense to the Wolves bench. He added 3 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 0.4 blocks per game for the Rockets this season, but his defense, similar to Tyus Jones’, is not best represented by statistics and must be seen to be appreciated.

Another player with experience in Minnesota, Mbah a Moute spent 55 games playing for the Timberwolves in the 2013-14 season after he was traded from Sacramento.

Mbah a Moute’s last contract saw him make just $2.1 million for the Rockets, which makes him an affordable prospect for the Timberwolves to consider should his market not explode. However, it’s unlikely that Mbah a Moute would be given a larger role than that which he already has in Houston, and considering Houston are still alive in the playoffs in the conference finals, he won’t be joining Minnesota for a better chance at a championship.

Should Houston offer a contract similar to one which Minnesota would propose, I’d imagine he would rather stick with the Rockets for the time being.

At 31 years old, Mbah a Moute isn’t necessarily at the end of his career, but with plenty of playoff experience, yet no success, I’d imagine he’d rather stick in a win-now scenario for the time being.

The prospect of adding Mbah a Moute is an interesting one, as his shooting and defense could certainly strengthen the Wolves bench, but his market and affordability are yet to be seen.

#3 – Jeff Green

Now, this one may be a bit divisive…

Jeff Green is often heralded as either a solid contributor, or a terrible player. Whichever camp you’re in will likely decide your stance on this proposal.

However, he will likely be available pretty cheap, and the 10.8 points he averaged with Cleveland this season is nothing to scoff at. To go along with his scoring, Green also contributed 1.3 assists and 3.2 rebounds in 23.4 minutes per game, starting 13 of his 78 appearances.

This was far from Green’s best season in the league, however he still managed to contribute to the Cavaliers team that is challenging for the Eastern Conference title, and he is still a regular part of playoff run, averaging 21.9 minutes per playoff appearance.

Green’s playoff experience would certainly be useful for the Timberwolves, however as previously mentioned, people are pretty much one way or the other on this guy….these tweets were from the same day just over three years ago.

I’m sure that the prospect of signing Jeff Green will split Timberwolves fans similarly. However, his contract with Cleveland was just a one-year $2.3 million deal. Green may come cheap, and his contributions would certainly be a boost for the Wolves’ second unit.

#4 – Seth Curry

I don’t doubt that some reading this are completely unaware that two-time MVP Steph Curry has a younger brother in the league, but here we are.

The younger Curry has missed the entire 2017-18 NBA season after surgery to repair his left tibia,  but the season before had made his presence in the NBA felt with the Dallas Mavericks.

In the 2016-17 NBA season, Curry averaged 12.8 points, shooting 43 percent from 3-point range, to go along with 2.7 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists. Unlike the older Curry, Seth is more able to fill the role of shooting guard, which I think would be his ideal fit for the Wolves, playing in the second unit backcourt alongside Tyus Jones.

It is worth mentioning that Curry’s NBA career hasn’t exactly gone smoothly; he’s been on five NBA teams in the four seasons he’s played, and his name was a stable of the then-D-League after going undrafted in 2013.

However his presence in the top basketball league finally felt solidified in his last season, when he managed 42 starts in his 70 appearances. In terms of his fit with the Wolves, he certainly wouldn’t be starting, but he could certainly be a consistent member of Thibodeau’s rotation, where his three point shooting would be a huge boost.

He also contributed quite well with Sacramento the previous season, where he made this incredible highlight play reminiscent of his older brother.

The Timberwolves may not be able to afford the most revered Curry, but Seth may be well within their price range, and his addition would provide a huge boost for the team. His last contract was just two-years $6 million, and this seasons’ pay of $3 million (despite not playing) was his highest salary yet.

I’m a big fan of this potential move, but as we’ve seen with shooters before, teams are willing to overpay. The Timberwolves should be in on this move — for the right price, of course.

#5 – Nemanja Bjelica

How could I finish this off without mentioning a Timberwolves favorite?

Bjelica made his NBA debut with the Wolves three seasons ago, and last season had a career-best year to help the Wolves to the playoffs.

Throughout 67 appearances and 21 starts, Bjelica averaged 6.8 points, 1.3 assists and 4.1 rebounds in 20.5 minutes. The number of starts shows Bjelica’s worth, as he was used to fill the hole left by Jimmy Butler’s absence due to injury.

According to the Star Tribune, after the Wolves were eliminated from the playoffs, Bjelica was quoted saying “I don’t know what I can say right now, I hope I will stay here. We will see. We had bad luck to play against Houston in the first round, but we have a great group of people here. First time in playoffs in 14 years is very important for us. I like it here.”

This gives me the impression that if the Timberwolves can reach a salary point that Bjelica is happy with, he’d rather stay here than go elsewhere. Bjelica’s market as a shooter is certainly going to involve a few offers, and if the Wolves can keep up, they can likely save themselves a bit compared to other teams in terms of contract offer.

Now, there’s always the chance Bjelica’s market will explode. Should he be offered a contract worth $10 million a year, should the Timberwolves match the offer? That’s down to individual opinion, and more importantly Tom Thibodeau’s game plan. Will we offer that money just to have him fall behind in the rotation, or will Bjelica become the centerpoint of the Wolves bench?

Bjelica contributes in a big way for the Timberwolves, and if the team loses him alongside Crawford, that’ll be a big hit for the second unit.

I’m hoping Bjelica’s market doesn’t go too crazy, and the Timberwolves are able to lock him down for a reasonable salary for a few more years in Minnesota.

Personally, I would love a second unit involving Tyus Jones, Seth Curry and Nemanja Bjelica. If the Timberwolves could manage both of those signings, and hold onto Jones, the Wolves’ second unit is going to be a serious threat for opposing defenses.

Next: Timberwolves Player Review: Andrew Wiggins

The Timberwolves’ free agency plans remain to be seen, but with a bit less cap to work with, these role players would be great oppositions to push the Timberwolves further in the right direction.