The Los Angeles Lakers are signing Marcus Smart after he was bought out by the Washington Wizards. To make room for Smart, the Lakers are set to waive veteran guard Shake Milton. The Minnesota Timberwolves have two open roster spots and are looking to round out their squad. It’s believed that the Wolves are most likely to upgrade their guard depth, and Milton could be the perfect target for them.
Looks like the Bi-Annual Exception for Marcus Smart. The Lakers will have to clear some room under their first-apron hard cap to make it happen.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) July 19, 2025
Waiving Shake Milton will clear $3M, but another move will have to come to ultimately clear enough room to sign Smart.
Milton would be the perfect depth piece for the Wolves
Milton has played in the league for seven years, suiting up for six teams. Across Milton’s career, he has averaged 8.1 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.4 assists with 45.1/35.8/82.4 shooting splits. Notably, Milton had a brief stint with the Wolves in the 2023-24 season, where he played in 38 games, averaging 12.9 minutes and 4.7 points. A reunion would make sense for both parties.
Milton’s blend of size (6-foot-5), playmaking, and scoring makes him the perfect candidate for the Wolves to bolster their guard depth. As a 6-foot-5 guard with this skill set, he’d give the Wolves backcourt a different element. He’s more of a traditional off-guard but can take on ball-handling responsibilities if necessary.
Milton averaged just 11.5 minutes with the Lakers and wouldn’t be part of the Wolves' rotation. However, with a loaded rotation and the Wolves looking to develop their young talent, including Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr., they simply need depth pieces to round out their roster. As a result, Milton would be the perfect acquisition for the Wolves.
While he wouldn’t be expected to play minutes, Milton is capable of playing minutes if need be. As a seasoned journeyman, Milton understands the importance of playing any role the team asks of him, and he is likely to be even more willing to make sacrifices on a contending team. This is exactly the type of player the Wolves are looking to bring in.
Upgrading their depth would be a wise move for Minnesota
The Wolves previously targeted big names in free agency, including Damian Lillard and Bradley Beal. They also tried to trade for Kevin Durant at the beginning of the summer. However, they now seem poised to upgrade their depth.
Ultimately, running it back with a core that just made two consecutive Western Conference Finals appearances and upgrading their depth could be the best move for the Wolves. By all accounts, Milton seems like an ideal depth target for Minnesota. If the Wolves sign Milton, they’d owe the Lakers a massive thank you.