Are Timberwolves making a mistake with Jaylen Nowell contract talks?

Like every NBA team, the Minnesota Timberwolves have many talented players on their roster, and their goal is to keep as many of them with the team for as long as possible.

However, there comes a time when a player might command more money in a new contract than the team is able to pay them, and they may seek to go elsewhere in hopes of earning that big payday.

That’s precisely the situation the Minnesota Timberwolves seem to have found themselves in with fourth-year guard Jaylen Nowell. Monday morning, Shams Charania reported that the Timberwolves had engaged in contract extension discussions with Nowell, but that he was expected to bypass a new deal and enter unrestricted free agency next summer (subscription required).

Jaylen Nowell’s departure could mean trouble for Timberwolves

This is big news for Minnesota, considering Jaylen Nowell’s significance to this team. While he’s not a starter, Nowell could be the most important bench player for a team with championship aspirations.

His ability to be an offensive spark plug and provide immediate points off the bench would be sorely missed if he were to find himself on a different NBA roster next season.

Without Nowell, Minnesota would struggle a lot more in situations where they’re in a scoring drought and need a quick bucket. Yes, they have other talented offensive threats, but Nowell has been playing his role with this team for the last three-plus seasons.

How much should Timberwolves be willing to pay Nowell?

But let’s look at the other side of the coin. Timberwolves fans as well as the organization will obviously want to have Jaylen Nowell back, but not if it breaks the team’s wallet. Right now, Nowell is heading into the final year of his 4-year, $4.7M contract with Minnesota. He’ll be earning just under two million dollars in the 2022-23 season.

As an elite three-level scorer, several NBA teams are going to give Nowell a look if he does enter unrestricted free agency next offseason. With the opportunity to secure a contract that will likely pay exponentially more than his current deal, it’s certainly a wise move for Nowell to explore other options.

So how much money should the Timberwolves be willing to offer Nowell to keep him around? A new four-year deal will likely come in the range of 50 to 60 million dollars, which is a relatively hefty price. If Jaylen can’t settle for less than the maximum, it will be a pretty hard sell, considering the Timberwolves also have to think about paying Naz Reid.

A big factor in determining the size of the deal may be Minnesota’s on-court performance this year. If the Timberwolves put together a fantastic season (or especially if they win a championship), there could be extra motivation for Jaylen Nowell to take less money to return to a team that’s primed to be a top-level contender the following year.