The Minnesota Timberwolves’ dreams were dashed on Friday morning when ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that LeBron James would sign with the Philadelphia 76ers. While it was always a long shot that James would end up in Minnesota, the Wolves need to move on, and many fans will be waiting for a response to fill their hole at power forward.
According to The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski, that may not come right away. While reacting to James’s decision to spurn the Wolves, Krawczynski noted that Connelly’s aggressiveness occasionally comes with some patience, and it could be the best path forward to find their ultimate solution to the four.
“As it stands, this is an imperfect roster. But the opportunities to address it have not ended,” Krawczynski wrote. “In the summer of 2022, most expected Connelly to trade D’Angelo Russell for a different point guard before the season began. With no takers, Connelly just waited for the market to come around again, ultimately shipping Russell to the Los Angeles Lakers and getting Mike Conley and Nickeil Alexander-Walker from Utah in the three-team deal.
“It stands to reason that the ultra-aggressive Connelly will continue to monitor the market well into next season if need be to see if there is an upgrade that becomes available.”
LeBron James shouldn’t send the Timberwolves into a knee-jerk move
There could be a natural reaction among Wolves fans to panic after James’ decision. The Wolves lost out on several potential solutions at power forward while waiting for James, including Rui Hachimura, John Collins and Sandro Mamukelashvili. But they still have several players available and an open roster spot that can be used to fill the hole in the lineup.
That being said, rushing into a deal just to fill it could be a bad situation. A sign-and-trade for Jonathan Kuminga would have some upside, but his request for a contract north of $20 million per season and a limited asset pool for a trade, might kill that idea.
The same goes for a trade involving P.J. Washington of the Dallas Mavericks or any other deal that would either push them into the second apron or limit their flexibility moving forward. A free-agent signing at a low price is also a possibility, but it may benefit the Wolves the most if they wait things out.
Krawczynski also noted that the Wolves’ plan may be to go smaller at the power forward position after losing Julius Randle and Naz Reid.
“There’s no doubt about it that being big at the four or five has been a large part of our identity,” Finch said. “But I’ve never been a believer that you replace one with one. If you lose a player, going out and trying to find his replacement straight up, [you’ll probably] only ever get 80 cents on the dollar at best. You might as well just lean into your best players, whatever that looks like.”
Wolves’ patience could pay off big at the power forward spot
Using the Wolves’ players as a strength may be the way they begin the year. By going to camp with the current roster and potentially another veteran minimum player as a lottery ticket, the Wolves can see what they have and how to utilize it.
It also benefits the Wolves to wait for options in a league where trade requests come through depending on which way the wind is blowing. The Russell trade is one example of how under-the-radar assets can be acquired, and last year’s trade for Ayo Dosunmu was a key move that helped the Wolves get past the Denver Nuggets in the first-round of last year’s playoffs.
Dosunmu is in line to be a contributor for multiple seasons after signing a five-year, $112 million contract earlier this offseason. The Russell trade also helped the Wolves beyond the 2022-23 season, as Conley and Alexander-Walker were key figures in back-to-back runs to the Western Conference Finals.
If they’re comfortable with a rotation at power forward with Jaden McDaniels staying at the three, it could allow Connelly to be patient and find the right time to strike. Even if that’s frustrating, it’s better than a knee-jerk reaction and one that could help the Wolves build a contender beyond this season.
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