5 Minnesota Timberwolves who shouldn't be back next season

3. Monte Morris

Adding Monte Morris at the trade deadline just felt right. Tim Connelly, the Timberwolves' president of basketball operations, drafted Morris in the 2017 NBA Draft. The Iowa State product began his career as a relative unknown before transforming into a borderline starter for the Nuggets.

In his second season in Denver, Morris appeared in all 82 games and averaged 10.2 points per game. Over the next three seasons, Morris played an integral role for the Nuggets. He starred as a sixth man and replacement for an injured Jamal Murray. He was then traded to the Washington Wizards where he impressed as a mistake-averse, steadying floor general.

Morris spent much of this past season injured. He began the year with the Detroit Pistons. However, it took a few months for the 28-year-old guard to finally debut for his new squad. After only six games as a Piston, the Wolves dealt Shake Milton, Troy Brown Jr., and a future second-round pick for Morris.

After coming over via trade, hopes were high for Morris. The Timberwolves' worst-kept secret was their lack of success sans Mike Conley. Prior to the trade deadline, Minnesota was 2-3 without their point guard, including losses to the Charlotte Hornets and San Antonio Spurs. Adding Morris theoretically solidified the reserve guard unit while bringing in a Conley injury replacement.

In 27 regular season appearances, Morris's game never really stood. He averaged just 5.1 points and 2.3 assists per game. The 6-foot-2 guard shot just 41.7 percent from the floor and 42.4 percent from downtown. Whether it be for injuries or a lack of opportunity, Morris never reverted to the player he once was.

The postseason decline was even more evident. Morris averaged only 2.3 points in 7.4 minutes per game in nine playoff appearances. He shot an atrocious 7.1 percent on 1.6 triples per game. The decline was certainly bizarre. Morris is just 28-years-old and his game isn't predicated on elite athleticism.

There's hope the veteran point guard reverts to his old form. Nevertheless, it likely won't be in Minnesota. Morris is playing out the last season of a three-year, $27 million pact he signed in 2021. Navigating the salary cap will be difficult for Connelly and Co. While the Wolves have Bird Rights on Morris, another team may fork over a larger sum to acquire his services.