The Minnesota Timberwolves wrapped up the 2020-2021 season with a bottom-five record. It’s beginning to feel like an annual tradition.
Think Festivus, not Christmas.
Wolves fans will be holding their collective breath on June 22 when the NBA Draft Lottery takes place. If the Wolves pick land outside of the top three, it will convey to the Golden State Warriors.
And, honestly, the sky won’t fall if it does. The Wolves don’t really need to land another young star. They actually have plenty; Karl Anthony-Towns, Anthony Edwards and D’Angelo Russell make up one of the more talented young trios in the NBA.
Strangely enough, the Timberwolves need role players.
Minnesota Timberwolves: 5 role players to target in free agency
It’s actually an enviable position. Role players, as a rule, are a bit easier to find than stars, and there are several available in free agency that the Timberwolves should target.
There are caveats, of course. For instance, some players won’t be affordable unless the Timberwolves can free up some cap space, perhaps by moving on from Ricky Rubio and his $17 million salary for next season. Sentimentality aside, his solid playmaking and defense don’t help this squad nearly as much as his 30.8 percent shooting from 3-point range harms it.
The Wolves should be able to find a taker. Rubio’s skillset is usually on demand and doesn’t grow on trees. Plus, his contract expires after the 2021-22 season. A split would be beneficial for both sides.
For the purposes of this exercise, let’s assume it happens, and that all five of the following players are feasible targets.