The Minnesota Timberwolves have a crucial offseason ahead of them this summer. Notably, the Wolves have three key free agents in Julius Randle (player option), Naz Reid (player option), and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Given that the Wolves were a second-apron team last season, they'd remain in the second-apron if they re-sign all three players. It's also likely they will be outpriced for either Alexander-Walker or Reid. General manager Tim Connelly recently discussed the Wolves' mindset regarding re-signing these three vital players.
“The goal is to keep everybody,” Connelly said. “What’s neat is the players are all very happy here. They love the coaching staff. They love the teammates. They love the community. When the player wants to be here and the team wants to have them back, there’s always room for optimism.”
Connelly's optimism should excite Wolves fans, and it's key that all three players enjoy the situation. Regardless, it far from guarantees that they'll re-sign all three players.
The second-apron is a massive factor
Discussing the second-apron, Connelly noted that ownership is willing to spend big; however, how it restricts dealmaking is a more important factor.
“It’s not just super expensive. We have great ownership this year that allowed us to spend a lot, a lot of money,” Connelly said. “But it’s so restrictive with dealmaking, so how can we be sure that we’re as nimble as possible?”
Undoubtedly, it's an encouraging sign that Minnesota's ownership is willing to spend big money. Nevertheless, as Connelly notes, the second-apron restrictions must be taken into account.
Some notable restrictions include that teams are unable to aggregate salaries in trades, meaning they can't send out more players than they receive, draft picks seven years out can't be traded, and they can only sign free agents from opposing teams to veteran minimum deals. Many of these restrictions become more severe if a team is in the second-apron for multiple years.
Will the Wolves be able to re-sign all three players?
The Wolves must decide if it's worth re-signing all of these players if it forces them to go deeper into the second-apron. Re-signing Randle will certainly be a priority given his vital role as a second option and shot creator. Unless the Wolves make a blockbuster trade for Kevin Durant, Randle is likely to be retained.
Reid's scoring off the bench and floor spacing will make the Wolves likely to re-sign him despite many suitors across the league. As a result, Alexander-Walker could be the odd one out, especially with Terrence Shannon Jr. being ready for a bigger role.
The Wolves offer these players a chance to compete for a title and an unmatched culture. As Connelly said, they love playing for the Timberwolves. Nevertheless, it's likely that Reid and Alexander-Walker specifically will get more money on the open market. This possibility is especially expected in a weaker free agency class.
Connelly's comments undoubtedly offer optimism. Nevertheless, Reid's and Alexander-Walker's free agency decisions will likely be determined by what they value more: a winning situation or money, paired with a bigger role.