NBA Rumors: Timberwolves free agency can afford to sign . . . ?

Buckle up Wolves Nation, the 2023 Offseason is in full swing! The 2023 NBA Free Agency is hours away, and our Minnesota Timberwolves have several critical roster moves to make. The Wolves ultimately had a tough decision to make earlier this week, and waived key veteran Taurean Prince and depth big Nathan Knight.

While it hurts to lose Taurean’s shooting and offensive versatility, opening up $7.45 million in space under the NBA luxury tax threshold was one of the few pathways to improving the roster.

Timberwolves Cap Picture

The Timberwolves currently have 13 roster spots filled and approximately $15.3 million in space to make moves, assuming both rookies Leonard Miller and Jaylen Clark sign their rookie minimum deals. Part of the genius of trading up for Leonard Miller is grabbing a second player who is eligible to sign for the rookie minimum of $1.1 million. In an offseason where threading the margin is paramount, grabbing two rookies with a total payroll of $2.2 million is a margin win that keeps options open.

The Mid Level Exception (MLE) in the NBA is an allotment for teams over the soft salary cap to add a free agent. This year, the exception is valued at $12.4 million. As a team operating over the soft salary cap,  the Timberwolves waiving Taurean Prince and Nathan Knight has unlocked the ability to utilize the entire MLE.

So with the board set, and $15.3 million in cash to play with, who can the Timberwolves realistically target to improve the roster?

Full Mid Level Exception candidates

There are currently two players that have been linked to the Timberwolves that would command the full or close two the entire MLE in Bruce Brown and Donte DiVincenzo.

Positioned to offer the full MLE, the Wolves will have to make a decision:

Are either Donte DiVincenzo or Bruce Brown worth giving up both forward Taurean Prince and unrestricted free agent wing Nickiel Alexander-Walker (NAW) to acquire?

Bruce Brown is a versatile guard who is a plus defender and wears a variety of hats as an offensive player. This past season Brown was tasked as the primary bench playmaker, and became a key contributor to the Nuggets winning their first NBA title.

While he has a respectable shot, 35.8% last year, his value lies in his versatility as a two-way player that can play 1-3 positionally.  Brown will have plenty of offers in his inbox come 6 p.m. ET, so getting his signature is far from a sure thing.

Donte is a combo guard and knockdown shooter who has flashed the ability to initiate offense with the Golden State Warriors this past season. His profile is similar to that of Alexander-Walker in that he is a plus point-of-attack defender, and is comfortable both on and off the ball offensively.

Where Donte really stands out is as a shooter, as he shot 39.7% from deep with the Warriors last season. There is a chance Donte may not command the entire MLE per my Twitter conversation with Darren Wolfson.

In order to realistically sign both, I would project Nickiel to command a three-year $18-20M deal with a player option worth $5.5-6.5 million in year one. with this projection, that leaves $8-9 million in range to sign BOTH Donte and Nickiel Alexander-Walker. So if Donte is the target, keep an eye on where his contract lands, if he falls in that $8-9 million range, NAW is officially in play!

Below the Mid Level Exception targets

Waiving veteran forward Taurean Prince is a risk. He is a bona fide rotation player and a highly respected locker-room presence. But with any risk, there is a chance that the Timberwolves may strike out on your first targets. Fortunately for the Wolves, there are several names that could fit the roster:

Jae Crowder – Prototypical 3 and D wing who is in the similar mold of Taurean Prince. This feels a little unlikely, but he is a guy that could be had in the $5-7 million range.

Seth Curry – One of the best shooters in the free agent class. Curry is a combo guard capable of initiating offense with the second unit and plugging in with the starters as an elite shooter. Also, how fun would it be to see Curry in a Timberwolves uniform? Talk about righting the wrongs of the past. (KAAAAAAAAAAHN). He’s likely in that $7-9 million range.

Jevon Carter – One of my favorite targets below the MLE. Carter is a smaller PG but is a stout defender and three-point shooter. He may not be the most talented PG, but he would be an upgrade over Jordan McLaughlin at a backup point. He’ll be in the $5-7 million range.

Joe Ingles – This is perhaps my favorite Veteran Minimum player if we were to target Donte Divincenzo or Bruce Brown with the full MLE. While Ingles is thought of as a shooter, he is also adept at initiating offense in the Pick n Roll and comes with ready-made chemistry playing alongside big man Rudy Gobert.

Dennis Schroder – Okay, you caught me… This also feels like a reach, but Schroder is a PG with the exact skillset we could use coming off the bench. He might belong in my full MLE portion of the article, but he is an available player with a skillset we could utilize for around $8-12 million

Shake Milton – Another backup PG option. He’s a plus shooter from deep and has had moments of really solid play with the 76ers. There are better targets in the class, but Milton would certainly be an upgrade for around $3-6 million.

The Timberwolves find themselves at a crossroads. With minimal wiggle room under the luxury tax, the wolves must walk a tightrope to fortify the roster. With the waiving of Taurean Prince and Nathan Knight, Tim Connelly and Co appear to have a plan A to utilize their full MLE. If that first wave is unsuccessful, there are other targets available that can help plug the holes in the roster.