NBA Rumors: Timberwolves will try to pry guard from Wizards

As the NBA Free Agency market prepares to open for business, the Minnesota Timberwolves suddenly find themselves shopping to fill a number of roster spots.  With a roster that will ultimately include 15 standard contracts and three Two-Way contracts, the Timberwolves’ current roster of 11 players means that this team has some work to do to fill the roster.

Two roster slots for the Minnesota Timberwolves are, in theory, filled by the pair of rookies just added during the 2023 NBA Draft when the team drafted forward Leonard Miller and guard Jaylen Clark. I say ‘in theory,’ because I won’t count on any rookie playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves too early while the team’s President Tim Connelly is still wheeling and dealing.

A year ago, the Minnesota Timberwolves rocked the entire NBA with an earth-shattering deal to acquire center Rudy Gobert from the Utah Jazz, a deal that cost the Timberwolves five players and four first-round draft picks. One of the players included in that trade was rookie center Walker Kessler, the lone player from that original trade package who remains on the Jazz’s roster.

NBA Rumors: Wolves want Wizards PG?

Now, it seems that NBA rumors are naming the Minnesota Timberwolves as back at the bargaining table, this time in an effort to pry one of the surplus point guards away from the Washington Wizards: Either Monte Morris or Deion Wright, as per The Athletic.

While the negotiations are reportedly not making much headway, that should not be very surprising. The Wizards are clearly in re-build mode and are more interested in future draft picks than existing players. Unfortunately, thanks to the Timberwolves’ trade in 2022 for Gobert, tradeable draft picks are in short supply for the Timberwolves at the moment.

PG is the last true need for the Timberwolves’ roster

We cited point guard as a top need in the 2023 NBA Draft, and are sticking with that assessment.  In our 2023 NBA Draft article, we wrote:

"‘Point Guard: The team has a void in terms of point guards for the future. This is a team that seems to have ample youth at virtually all key positions, but there is no clear point guard to pair with shooting guard Anthony Edwards for tomorrow.’"

Sometimes the draft board simply does not fall the right way, and the inability of the Timberwolves to land a future point guard was the result. No matter, the team can rectify that now, either with a timely trade or a significant free agent signing.

Who that will be is what the Minnesota Timberwolves are trying to establish now. Ideally, the optimal candidate will be young, will have enough versatility to play and defend both the 1 and 2 positions, will be content with coming off the bench this season, and someone who can grow into the starting point guard as early as the 2024-24 NBA season.

While there is no expectation for imminent resolution, this latest Minnesota Timberwolves rumor bears monitoring. Stay tuned . . .