The Minnesota Timberwolves have one open roster slot and one open Two-Way contract slot. So the question is, how urgent is that to the team? Is it a race against time? Or is this simply a matter of ‘measure twice, cut once,’ by the Minnesota Timberwolves front office in their deliberation over who to sign to the team’s final roster slot? The challenge for the Timberwolves right now is that the key roles appear to be filled at the moment.
The Timberwolves only have enough money to spend on a minimal veteran contract, and even with that in mind, how many minutes can this final roster spot get this season?
The Wolves still have one roster spot open (and a third two-way slot).
— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) July 7, 2023
To stay under the tax, the Wolves can spend up to $2.5M on that final roster spot. Likely a veteran minimum contract, which carries a $2M cap hit. https://t.co/FyPPWYN6zI
Will the Timberwolves sign a veteran or a young rookie project? That decision directs the search in completely different directions. For openers, a veteran signing indicates that the Minnesota Timberwolves roster may need added depth at a position and that the team is concerned about the quality of the roster at a specific position.
On the other hand, a young rookie signing indicates more concern toward the future, and a focus on developing players to assume larger roles at the end of the 2023-24 NBA season.
While we sort through that debate, here are a few players who excelled in the NBA 2K24 Summer League competition to consider:
Five promising players to consider
I: Timberwolves Summer League – Point guard Brandon Williams
If you are interested in a versatile young player who can contribute in a number of ways to the Timberwolves roster, you may find that point guard Brandon Williams checks all of the boxes. He is a 23-year-old point guard who has NBA experience with the Portland Trail Blazers via 24 games played in the 2021-22 NBA season.
24.1 M | 17.3 P | 31.3 3P% | 1.8 R | 3.5 A | 1.5 S | 0.0 B
II: Timberwolves Summer League – Point guard D.J. Carton
Of course, there are multiple options for the Timberwolves at the point guard position, and one who seemed to improve throughout the summer league competition is point guard D.J. Carton. He finished summer league as the fifth-best guard in terms of assists per game. He was also quite adept at defense as well. Could he tempt the Timberwolves to sign him up?
25.8 M | 9.0 P | 30.0 3P% | 1.8 R | 6.8 A | 2.0 S | 0.4 B
III: Warriors Summer League – Forward Reggie Perry
The Timberwolves may be looking for help with the boards, which should point them immediately toward 6-foot-8 250-pound free agent forward Reggie Perry. Perry has NBA experience, having played for the Brooklyn Nets in 2020-21, and for the Portland Trail Blazers and the Indianapolis Pacers in 2021-22. While he didn’t land a multi-year contract, he certainly demonstrated the chops to stay on the NBA radar. Is this the year he returns to the NBA? He certainly deserves to be, as he can do many things that the Timberwolves need right now
18.3 M | 11.8 P | 40.0 3P% | 9.2 R | 1.2 A | 0.2 S | 0.6 B
IV: Sixers Summer League – Forward Greg Brown
If the Minnesota Timberwolves want to emphasize defense, then a good candidate is 6-foot-7 206-pound forward Greg Brown. The Timberwolves have certainly found themselves in need of good perimeter shooting, perimeter defense, and a solid rim protector, and 21-year-old Greg Brown checks all of those boxes. While a bit raw, he would make an ideal candidate for a Two-Way contract with the Timberwolves.
20.3 M |10.4 P | 42.9 3P% | 5.4 R | 0.1 A | 0.6 S | 2.5 B
V: Boston Summer League – Center Reggie Kissoonlal
Any opportunity to add a 7-foot-0 225-pound center to the roster should be given serious consideration. While 27-year-old Reggie Kissoonlal may be a bit more mature to fall into a young category, he has not sat idle. He competed in international competition for several years before signing with the G-League Maine Celtics last season. While he did not compete often in summer league, he certainly optimized his lone game to showcase a wide range of skills, both offensive and defensive.
Is he too mature to consider for the Timberwolves roster? I don’t think so. While he may be on a shorter shelf life than some, he certainly has plenty of intrigue in his candidacy.
17.0 M | 12.0 P | 40.0 3P% | 5.0 R | 0.0 A | 3.0 S | 2.0 B
Five prospects from the 2023 NBA 2k24 Summer League competition who could be signed to the Timberwolves roster. Do any seem like a good signing?
Let us know who are your favorites to fill the final Minnesota Timberwolves roster slot. Thanks, and stay tuned.