This Timberwolves free agent target is officially off the market

Headed into this offseason, the public statements made by the Minnesota Timberwolves' ownership indicated that the team had an air of confidence in their roster not typically seen in past years. Ever since the season ended and the front office began preparing to make another deep playoff run next year, all the talk has been about keeping this group together.

The Wolves rightfully believe they can make another run deep into the playoffs next season, and that is why they have had such a focus on retaining all the top players on their roster. The general idea for this offseason was to keep the top-salaried guys in town and happy, while replacing some of the role players down the bench where applicable.

Reality was always going to involve Minnesota making minor changes around the edges to improve this summer, and management's confidence in the team's top players is reassuring. But the other big factor that played into this approach was the financial side of things. The Timberwolves are on the verge of incurring the severe penalties of the second apron.

Kelly Oubre re-signed with Philadelphia

As such, signing players on small contracts was the most obvious solution to improve this roster while keeping costs down. One of the top free agents available on this kind of contract that would have also worked well within the Wolves' system was Kelly Oubre.

The Philadelphia 76ers' forward brings an excellent blend of shot-making and athleticism to the court. This past season, he was playing for the Sixers on a one-year, $2.8 million minimum deal, which was a great value contract considering his output. It seemed for a while that he could be a good option for Minnesota, especially if Kyle Anderson ended up elsewhere.

But on Sunday, news broke that Oubre had re-signed with Philadelphia on a two-year, $16.3 million contract. With Kelly officially out of the picture, the Timberwolves have one less solid option to consider going forward.

Considering the price he re-signed at, Oubre may have been unaffordable for the Wolves anyway. But fans will likely still watch the 76ers play this season thinking how his game could have benefitted Minnesota in their pursuit of a championship.