Minnesota Timberwolves: 3 players in the Finals for the Wolves to target
By Nate Ackert
2. Dion Waiters – Los Angeles Lakers
Realistically, there aren’t many realistic targets for the Wolves on the Lakers roster, as LeBron James is the only player signed beyond the 2020-21 season.
Many of their expiring contracts are veteran players on the home stretch of their careers, such as Jared Dudley, Dwight Howard, Rajon Rondo and Markieff Morris. On top of that, trading for any players signed through next season may prove to be a one-year rental, as players such as Kyle Kuzma, JaVale McGee, Quinn Cook, and Alex Caruso would all be free agents in 2021.
With this in mind, Dion Waiters is arguably the most realistic target for the Wolves from the Lakers.
Waiters will be getting a championship ring no matter the outcome of the 2020 NBA Finals, as Waiters started the season with Miami before his infamous release due to an incident regarding a team flight. Waiters has long been touted as a decent shooter with loads of athleticism and will be a free agent coming off a minimum contract.
Waiters will likely come at an affordable price; prior to signing a minimum contract with the Lakers, his contract with Miami paid him $13 million per year. With Waiters’ stock being significantly damaged due to his three team-issued suspension with the Heat this season, Waiters’ price should drop significantly. Not only that, he has only appeared in five playoff games with the Lakers this year.
While conduct has been an issue for Waiters, he has the capability to bring an offensive spark off the bench, averaging 13.1 points for his career and shooting 47.1 from three during the 2019-2020 regular season.
Waiters would likely play the role Jamal Crawford played during his time in Minnesota: a potential spark plug on any given night to assist the second unit with scoring. While Waiters’ defensive skills are questionable, the Wolves lack a pure scoring wing on their bench, which can be a real asset for teams looking to compete for championships.
While Waiters may not necessarily be a perfect fit for the Wolves, he could be an affordable option for the Wolves to acquire scoring for their bench with Finals experience.