5 Potential Timberwolves free agent targets with ties to Rudy Gobert
By Austin McGee
The Minnesota Timberwolves acquired the now four-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert in the summer of 2022—and it didn't take long for the Wolves brass to bring in Gobert's former teammates. Halfway through the 2022-23 season, Minnesota traded for Mike Conley Jr. and Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
Although the Timberwolves rid themselves of their third-leading scorer and top assist man, D'Angelo Russell, acquiring Conley and Alexander-Walker played a large part in Minnesota's rapid ascension to the Western Conference Finals.
After the Timberwolves' deep playoff run, winning the offseason is integral for continued success. Despite a severe lack of salary cap space, several quality free agents will likely ink minimum deals. Whether it be age, championship aspirations, or ties to a former teammate or coach, players are sometimes willing to take less if the scenario is ideal.
Below, we've identified five of these candidates—specifically players with ties to Gobert. The Frenchman has spent 11 years in the NBA, thus his ex-teammate pool is vast. The following free-agent fits are optimal due to the Wolves' positional needs and potential low-value contracts they'll accept.
5. Joe Ingles
Longtime Utah Jazz forward Joe Ingles has played 533 games next to Gobert, more than anyone else on the list. Of course, the extensive amount of floor time Ingles has seen directly correlates with his advanced age. At 36 years old, the Australian forward is the oldest player on the list.
Even though Ingles is closer to 40 than to 30, his game shouldn't see too steep of a decline. The 6-foot-9 wing's game has never been predicated on athleticism. For instance, throughout 10 professional seasons, Ingles has only recorded 23 dunks.
The 36-year-old forward is a high-IQ sharpshooter who holds his own on the defensive end. This past season, Ingles averaged a mere 4.4 points per game, but he shot 43.5 percent from beyond the arc. Other than his marksmanship, Ingles chipped in 3.0 assists per game in just over 17 minutes of action.
Prior to his lone season in Orlando, Ingles had consistently knocked down multiple threes per game and averaged near or above 10 points per game. If not for the Aussie's torn ACL he suffered in 2022, his game may not have changed at all.
While expecting a soon-to-be 37-year-old Ingles to average 12 points and five assists is outlandish—contributing around six points, three assists, and a three-pointer is reasonable. Adding a connective passer who can drill an open triple would be a wonderful addition to the Wolves' reserve unit.