3 players the Minnesota Timberwolves should re-sign this offseason
By Adam Jacobs
What else can you describe this man that hasn’t been used. James Johnson is a rugged, tough, hard-nosed, productive veteran.
Yes, Johnson is technically under contract for next year, but there’s always the chance that he doesn’t pick up his option or that he’s traded. And the Wolves can’t allow either of those things to happen.
Johnson is everything that this young team needs. For the longest time, the Timberwolves have needed a veteran that can help lead by example, help teach some of the young leaders how to be one, and just be a good presence in the locker room and on the court. James Johnson certainly appears to be the right man for the job.
Not only has Johnson been mentoring the young players in practice and on the bench, he’s providing consistent scoring and solid defense. While he hasn’t been a high-scoring option, especially once Karl-Anthony Towns comes back, he can definitely be that guy to come out in a clutch moment and help rally the team.
Johnson could help the starting lineup, or he can be just as good an option coming off the bench. If you look at every successful team, there is one “glue guy” that holds a team together, and I think that just might be J.J.
Johnson holds a $16 million player option for 2020-21, and there’s almost no chance that he doesn’t pick it up. While it’s possible the Wolves could use his contract for an offseason trade, all signs point to him being a member of the rotation by the time Minnesota starts playing again this fall.
He could always start the season on the team and be moved at the February deadline, but for the time being, the leadership that he’s provided as a Timberwolf has been invaluable.