The Minnesota Timberwolves lost out on each of their top targets on Day One of free agency and have stood pat entering Day Two.
For a few fleeting moments spread out across the weekend, it looked for all the world as though the Minnesota Timberwolves would be adding a second All-Star to the roster.
But when (most of the) dust had settled late Sunday evening, D’Angelo Russell was a Golden State Warrior via sign-and-trade as the Brooklyn Nets continued to clear cap space for their new Big Three.
After reportedly agreeing to max deals with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving and a multi-year deal for DeAndre Jordan, the Nets needed to clear more space. With Durant already heading to Brooklyn and Klay Thompson back in the fold on a max deal of his own, the two organizations struck a deal nearly six hours into the free agency period.
Golden State and Brooklyn have agreed on a sign-and-trade, sending D’Angelo Russell to the Warriors on a four-year, $117M maximum contract, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2019
The move likely leaves the Wolves with Jeff Teague and his $19 million deal as their starting point guard next year. It also might make a re-signing of Tyus Jones a bit more likely, depending on what his market looks like as the week wears on.
Other players that the Timberwolves were rumored to be interested in include J.J. Redick, who signed a two-year pact with the New Orleans Pelicans fairly early in free agency. Ricky Rubio signed a three-year deal with the Phoenix Suns, and Tobias Harris re-signed in Philadelphia.
If the Wolves are still shopping for a point guard, Patrick Beverley would be the one guy still out there as a possibility, although Dallas has long been rumored to be a potential destination for the former Los Angeles Clipper.
There are plenty of second-tier guys that the Wolves may have expressed interest in, including appealing options such as Reggie Bullock.
#Twolves have touched base on Reggie Bullock. But he's not atop their wish list.
— Darren Wolfson (@DWolfsonKSTP) June 30, 2019
Players like Willie Cauley-Stein (if his qualifying offer is pulled) and Anthony Tolliver could be options to round out the front court as free agency rolls on, but the top-tier and next-tier candidates are all but gone.
Day One of free agency is once again a tough pill to swallow for Wolves fans, and suffice it to say that Gersson Rosas and Co. have their work cut out for them. The roster is relatively bare and there isn’t any cap space; trading Wiggins doesn’t make a ton of sense at this stage unless they can get value in return and/or have another move lined up.
At least we know this much, Wolves fans: the process was solid, and Rosas and Co. aren’t going to go down without taking their hacks.
This offseason may not be the splashiest one for the Wolves, but better days are ahead.