Trey Burke
After trading Jeff Teague earlier this month, the Timberwolves have a large hole at the point guard position. Shabazz Napier is the lone point guard on the team with a full contract with two-way player Jordan McLaughlin filling in the backup point guard duties.
A cheap option to add point guard depth could be Philadelphia 76ers guard Trey Burke. While not thought of as a sharpshooter, Burke has been steadily improving his shot from deep over the past few seasons.
Burke has struggled to find minutes this year with the plethora of young guards on Philadelphia’s roster. However he has managed to shoot over 44 percent from beyond the arc in limited minutes. While it’s far above his career mark of 34.3 percent, Burke is the type of player that could fit the new Timberwolves’ system and would immediately provide improved shooting and the ability to play combo guard alongside Jarrett Culver or Andrew Wiggins.
Perhaps most importantly, Burke is on an expiring contract. He does not figure to be part of Philadelphia’s future and could thereby be acquired for next to nothing.
Minnesota would be wise to take a shot on the 27-year-old guard out of Michigan and see if he can prove himself worthy of re-signing this offseason. In some ways, an acquisition like Burke would be similar to acquiring Crabbe: a trial period for a shooter on an expiring deal.
Even if a blockbuster deal doesn’t come to fruition, there are plenty of opportunities for the Wolves to pick up the perimeter shooting that they so desperately need on the cheap. Here’s hoping it happens prior to the Feb. 6 deadline.