4 NBA players the Minnesota Timberwolves should kick the tires on

While not everyone has warmed up to the possibility of the Minnesota Timberwolves acquiring center Mohamed Bamba. Much like Lu Dort, Bamba is a player who is a developing young player who is already whetting the appetite of a number of NBA teams. The key for the Timberwolves is to correctly assess the impact of Bamba, not necessarily to acquire him. But if you want a backup center who fits the Timberwolves at a first glance, Mo Bamba checks the box:

Bamba has a nice arsenal of shots, is productive on both sides of the basketball court, and has a number of roles that he could productively fill on the Timberwolves roster. Because he is young and improving, the task is to guesstimate where he will plateau in his NBA career. The challenge is doing so more accurately than the other NBA teams expected to show interest in him.

Just to point out, the worst scenario for the Timberwolves is to overpay.

Mo’ Mo Bamba?

Bamba gives the Timberwolves roster far more flexibility than you may think. Because he is so big, he can hold his own near the basket. Because he has a full complement of shots, he can play alongside Karl-Anthony Towns as either a center to Towns power forward, or as a power forward to Towns center, or come in off the bench to play as the primary big as KAT gets his rest.

That’s a tall order for any player, and particularly a high bar to set for a player who many believe is considered an underachiever for the not-so-hot Orlando Magic. But the role that the Magic has set for Bamba is not suited for his experience or his skills. With the Minnesota Timberwolves, Bamba can ease into the big role without being pressured into becoming THE big man on this roster.

While he is not a guaranteed piece to the Timberwolves roster, the front office can add him with limited risk. So far, he shows all the signs of being capable of being that ‘next piece’ on the Timberwolves roster.  Will he be? That is up to the front office. But we’ve laid out four players who could help the Timberwolves in the upcoming NBA season.