On Friday, Jon Krawczynski reported that the Minnesota Timberwolves have declined Cody Williams' fourth-year option. He also reported that they will exercise their fourth-year option for Terrence Shannon Jr. and their third-year option for Joan Beringer, though both of those moves were no-brainers.
While Williams is an intriguing young player, with pedigree as a former lottery pick, it makes perfect sense why the Wolves declined his fourth-year option. Williams is outside of the Wolves' roster, and despite his blend of length and defense, it's unclear if he has path to earning minutes is on a talented Wolves squad.
His team option was worth $7.6 million next season. That's not an absurd number, but for someone outside of the rotation, it's a too rich, especially considering the concerns of the second apron.
The Timberwolves couldn't keep Cody Williams around for $7.6 million
Throughout his career, Williams hasn't shown to be a capable offensive player. Specifically, he has averaged 6.8 points and 1.6 assists with 41.9/23.6/71.1 shooting splits, spending his first two years with the Utah Jazz. His lack of outside shooting and overall offensive aggression significantly hamper his offensive impact.
Likewise, this makes it challenging for him to earn minutes with the Timberwolves. As noted, a $7.6 million price tag for a player like Williams just isn't worth it.
Krawczynski mentioned that the Wolves really liked what they’ve seen from him so far. Therefore, there's a possibility that the Wolves can bring him back at a cheaper price point in the offseason. And given his subpar offensive production, his market value makes this an even stronger possibility.
Having a long-term development piece on a team without many incoming draft picks makes sense. While Williams can fill this void, it would behoove the Timberwolves if he were on a contract worth less than $5 million a year. Simply put, the Wolves need to round out their bench with cheap contracts to avoid any apron penalties, and' $7.6 million is too steep for Williams production.
According to Spotrac, before declining Williams' option, the Wolves are projected to spend $212 million next season. That puts them narrowly below the first apron and $24 million below the second apron. However, this is with three players (Donte DiVincenzo, Bones Hyland, and Trey Lyles) entering free agency.
On top of this, Jonathan Kuminga has a player option that he's primed to decline and enter free agency.
With apron concerns looming, and the Timberwolves presumably trying to retain Kuminga given his strong start, it makes sense for them to prioritize flexibility. Considering all factors, declining Williams' fourth-year option is a logical move for the Timberwolves.
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