The Minnesota Timberwolves have three crucial free agents: Julius Randle, Naz Reid, who have player options, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who is an unrestricted free agent. Recently, Chris Finch spoke with confidence about the Wolves' ability to re-sign Randle and Reid. However, his silence about Alexander-Walker spoke volumes.
"Absolutely, yes. I think both players want to be there. Finch said during an appearance on KFAN radio when asked if the Wolves will be able to re-sign Randle and Reid. That's first and foremost the most important thing. We certainly want them there. I know Tim Connelly is working hard to make sure that they get some sort of deal done that makes them happy and want to stay, and feel gratitude that the team is taking care of them."
While Finch was confident about being able to re-sign Randle and Reid, Alexander-Walker's name didn't come up. This all but seals Alexander-Walker's fate with the Wolves. It has been widely speculated that the Timberwolves won't be able to afford all three players and that NAW will be the odd one out. Overall, all signs point to Alexander-Walker finding a new home this summer.
Re-signing Nickeil Alexander-Walker will be challenging
Alexander-Walker's impact as a role player is immense. This past season, he averaged 9.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists on 43.8/38.1/78 shooting splits. NAW makes a well-rounded impact as a defensive stopper, spot-up shooter, and secondary playmaker. Undoubtedly, this skill set and ability to contribute to winning basketball will be coveted on the open market.
A team could pay Alexandar-Walker the full mid-level exception, which is worth a little over $14 million annually. This would be diffcult for the Timberwolves to match, especially after re-signing Randle and Reid to hefty contracts. Teams like the Brooklyn Nets could be lurking to sign Alexandar-Walker to the full mid-level exception. The Orlando Magic have been another team linked to Alexandar-Walker, but they'll have to create a bit more cap space to make a deal work.
Needless to say, he'll have plenty of other suitors in free agency. With the Wolves' high payroll and league-wide interest, it will be challenging for Minnesota to re-sign him. If Alexander-Walker comes back to Minnesota, he'll likely be sacrificing a good amount of money.
Another factor at play is that the Wolves have two replacement options for NAW on the roster, Terrence Shannon Jr. and Jaylen Clark. Both young wings showed plenty of upside in their rookie seasons. Shannon's three-level scoring abilities and defensive energy make him a logical candidate to replace Alexander-Walker. Similarly, Clark has value as a spot-up shooter and on-ball defender.
With the Wolves prioritizing Randle and Reid, re-signing Alexander-Walker always felt unlikely. Considering Finch's comments and the natural replacement candidates on the roster, it feels all but guaranteed that Alexander-Walker will leave in free agency.