Minnesota Timberwolves: 4 cap-friendly free agent targets

By Nate Ackert | Jul 30, 2020

TORONTO, ON - FEBRUARY 12: Jahlil Okafor #8 of the Philadelphia Sixers and D'Angelo Russell #1 of the Los Angeles Lakers and the United States team talk on court in the second half against the World team during the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge 2016 at Air Canada Centre on February 12, 2016 in Toronto, Canada. 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 Elsa/Getty Images) /

3 of 5

Jahlil Okafor of the New Orleans Pelicans. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /

2019/2020 Salary: $1,702,486

Estimated Per-Year Salary of New Contract: $2,500,000

This signing would give the Timberwolves the top 3 picks in the 2015 draft, strangely enough.

Jahlil Okafor has never found the right situation for success. He struggled in Philadelphia, sharing the frontcourt with Joel Embiid. He hardly played in Brooklyn. Then, he played behind Anthony Davis, Julius Randle, and now Zion Williamson in New Orleans. Despite this, Okafor has shown flashes of strong NBA production, averaging 11.0 points and 5.0 rebounds in his career in just 20.4 minutes per game.

As the former top-3 pick in the 2015 draft, Okafor definitely has untapped talent that could be unlocked in the correct situation.

While the Wolves may or may not be in search of a true, traditional power forward, Okafor would undoubtedly play a bigger role in Minnesota than in New Orleans as an interior scorer and rebounder.

Additionally, if the Wolves were to re-sign Juancho Hernangomez, a physical, inside-scoring Okafor could act as a nice change of pace option from the finesse, outside-scoring Juancho. The Wolves could offer Okafor his biggest role since his days in Philadelphia, which could be attractive to a veteran Okafor who is looking to prove himself.

Home/Timberwolves News