Minnesota Timberwolves: 4 free agency options still on the market for the Wolves

NBA free agency options on the market for Minnesota Timberwolves: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is the best option still out there on the market. He’s a versatile defender, brings playoff experience to the roster, and played in Brooklyn with Russell and assistant coach Pablo Prigioni.

The Wolves have also reportedly shown interest in RHJ.

Hollis-Jefferson consistently turns in above-average defensive metrics, and at 6-foot-6 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan, he checks the boxes in terms of positional flexibility and switchability as well. He should be able to lockdown 3s and most 4s, fitting what the Wolves are trying to do on defense.

The biggest issue with RHJ is his lack of long-range shooting ability; he’s a career 21.3 percent 3-point shooter and has taken only 0.7 threes per-game across his four seasons in the league.

Still, Hollis-Jefferson is more of a game-changer defensively than, say, Treveon Graham was at the start of last season. The theory was that the Wolves would live with Graham’s lack of shooting ability in exchange for defense, but he wasn’t consistently good on that end of the floor, either.

Hollis-Jefferson was a big part of the Nets rotation in 2018-19 when they made the playoffs and Russell was an All-Star. RHJ averaged 20.9 minutes per game and primarily came off the bench

Hollis-Jefferson has been one of the league leaders in terms of players who finish plays as cutters in the half-court over the past couple of years, although his success rate hasn’t been great, putting up only 1.08 points per possession (PPP) last season in Toronto and just 0.96 PPP two years ago in Brooklyn.

That said, it’s a role that he understands, and if the Wolves can elevate his offensive game with what should be incredible spacing, then he should be able to be passable on that end of the floor while bringing a defensive edge that the Wolves haven’t had at the 4 since Taj Gibson.

Speaking of Taj…