Reunions seem to be all the rage in the NBA. For the Minnesota Timberwolves, some players would make sense to reunite with. However, there are also plenty of players whom the Wolves should avoid bringing back if they become available. Let's dive into four of these players who shouldn't return to Minnesota.
Patrick Beverley
Beverley spent just one season with the Wolves in 2021-22. He helped lead them to the playoffs and famously jumped on the scorer's table after beating the Los Angeles Clippers in the Play-In Tournament. Beverley averaged 9.2 points, 4.6 assists, and 4.1 rebounds with Minnesota. However, his play declined after leaving the Wolves.
Beverley spent this past season playing in Israel. However, he is reportedly eyeing an NBA return. Of all the players on this list, Beverley is the most realistic player who could return to the Wolves. Regardless, at 37, Beverley offers little on-court value and would be a massive distraction given his outspoken personality. Many Wolves fans might have positive memories of Beverley, but reuniting with him should be avoided at all costs.
Andrew Wiggins
The former No. 1 overall pick never lived up to his expectations. Wiggins averaged 19.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists with the Wolves. However, outside of one season with Jimmy Butler, the Wolves never had much success with Wiggins. Furthermore, Wiggins’ defense and decision-making were questionable during his Wolves tenure. Wiggins was traded in a deal that netted the Wolves D’Angelo Russell back in 2020.
Now with the Miami Heat, it’s not out of the question that Wiggins is put on the trade block again. Regardless, the Wolves should have no interest in reuniting with Wiggins if he does indeed become available. Wiggins is set to make $28.2 million this upcoming season, and $30.2 million the following year (assuming he picks up his player option). This contract is bad value given Wiggins’ inconsistent play.
Basketball-wise, Wiggins wouldn’t fit the Wolves' needs. A high-volume scoring forward doesn’t make sense next to Julius Randle and Jaden McDaniels. Overall, the Wolves should rule out reuniting with Wiggins if he’s made available.
D’Angelo Russell
Russell’s time with the Wolves isn’t fondly remembered. While Russell posted solid averages of 18.5 points, 6.5 assists, and 3.2 rebounds, his style of play proved to be a poor fit next to Anthony Edwards. Specifically, his lack of defense and questionable decision-making made Russell a poor fit with the Wolves. Ultimately, Russell was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in a deal that netted the Wolves Mike Conley and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. This trade certainly benefited the Wolves both immediately and in the long term.
Since being traded from the Wolves, Russell was later traded to the Brooklyn Nets this past season, and signed with the Dallas Mavericks. The Wolves had a possible chance to reunite with Russell this summer but wisely opted not to. If Russell becomes available again, which is likely given his career path, the Wolves shouldn’t target him.
Malik Beasley
With an ongoing gambling investigation, Beasley’s NBA future is in jeopardy. If Beasley gets cleared, he’ll likely be suspended for a significant amount of time. Depending on the outcome of the investigation, it’s possible Beasley flat-out gets banned for life. Regardless, in the scenario where Beasley is able to return to the NBA, he would be a free agent. Undoubtedly, Beasley is an elite 3-point shooter and a gifted shot creator. He’d likely be available at a cheap price as a result; at least one team would roll the dice on Beasley.
Nevertheless, Beasley’s skill set and role would overlap with Donte DiVincenzo. It’s also been reported that Beasley has dealt with financial problems, which included him having $8 million in debt. Signing someone like that would disrupt the Wolves’ culture. Ultimately, Beasley’s path back into the NBA is murky, and the Wolves shouldn’t look to sign him even if he’s cleared.