The Minnesota Timberwolves made a deal at February’s trade deadline to acquire Ayo Dosunmu. If you poll the fan base, I believe they would almost universally agree that they want the impending free agent back.
Dosunmu wasn’t the only player that Minnesota acquired in the trade that in part sent Rob Dillingham to the Chicago Bulls. They also added Julian Phillips, who saw minimal minutes after being added by the Timberwolves. Phillips has a team option for next season, and I believe it should be picked up by the Wolves.
Phillips can help solidify the end of the bench
Still just 22 years old (turns 23 on November 5), Phillips was selected 35th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft. The 6-6 forward has a club option next season worth $2.4 million, and the Timberwolves have until June 29 to decide whether they want to keep him.
It should be picked up by the Timberwolves. They won’t have much money to spend on outside free agents so they will need some of their roster spots to be occupied by cheaper players. As such a small salary, Minnesota should look to keep Phillips to help fill the end of the bench.
John Hollinger of The Athletic seems to agree. Each year, he uses his BORD$ projections for impending free agents to approximate how much they should make next season. Listing the free agent small forwards on Thursday, his BORD$ metric lists Phillips’ projected salary for next season at $3.7 million which is a good amount more than his team option. Hollinger writes,
“…I’m intrigued by his high rates of blocks and steals, the fact that he’s finally left a muddle of similar players in Chicago and his age (22).”
Thus far in his career, Phillips has appeared in 167 games for a total of 1,874 minutes. Per 36 minutes, he has averaged 1.3 steals and 0.7 blocks (1.9 and 0.6, respectively, last season). He has shown the makings of an above-average and disruptive defender. The Minnesota fans didn't get to see much of that as Phillips appeared in just 13 regular season and 5 playoff games after joining the Wolves.
Now, he has made just 32 percent of his career 3-point tries, a number you’d certainly like to see be higher. The Timberwolves are going to need to have end-of-the-bench guys, though at similar price points as Phillips’ club option, and with his age and defensive acumen, I believe Minnesota should keep him for next season.
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