Minnesota Timberwolves: Okogie given second chance by Lakers
With Josh Okogie making very little against the salary cap, it will allow Timberwolves general manager Gersson Rosas to get creative in how he goes about a possible trade. It seems likely that the return could yield a package as stated above – a low-end, cheaper swing-forward in addition to a late-first round pick.
Additionally, if the Timberwolves simply do not want Alfonzo McKinnie on their roster after this trade happens, they can simply waive him – his contract has two years left – both of which are non-guaranteed. That said, I do believe there is some value in having McKinnie on your roster as a versatile forward that can play spot minutes.
The first-round pick is nothing to scoff at, in exchange for Okogie. This is one of the better draft classes in recent memory, and a lot of players projected to land in the 20’s-range could offer a lot of value right out of the gate for Minnesota.
One such player that the Timberwolves could walk away with is Ziaire Williams, a high-upside wing/forward from Stanford that has a lot to offer defensively (and offensively, should his distance shooting get better). Another option could be Usman Garuba – an international defense-first forward/big that can switch onto almost anyone. He would be a great fit alongside both Jaden McDaniels and Karl-Anthony Towns.