There’s nothing wrong with having something in common with the defending NBA champions. For the Minnesota Timberwolves, it goes beyond them being one of the two NBA teams that Karl-Anthony Towns has played for, along with the New York Knicks.
While both teams have two open roster spots, they are both likely to fill only one to avoid exceeding the second apron. Both teams also appear to have the same need for that roster spot: a third big. The Knicks look like they may be trying to fill that need while it’s still wait-and-see mode if Minnesota will do the same.
Timberwolves have yet to add a third center to their roster
The Timberwolves have become a faster team with a little less size this offseason. Gone are Naz Reid and Julius Randle, their sixth man and starting power forward, respectively, over the last two years. Reid played both power forward and center during his stint with Minnesota.
New York not only lost its offensive-rebounding machine, Mitchell Robinson, to the Boston Celtics, but its third-string center, Ariel Hukporti, has also signed with the Philadelphia 76ers. The Knicks added only one center in return: Andre Drummond.
Now, the Knicks could be looking to find that third center. On Wednesday, the team announced they are signing a handful of veteran players to training-camp deals, including centers Drew Eubanks and James Wiseman. They will have the opportunity, along with other vets such as Bruce Brown, Ochai Agbaji, and John Konchar, to earn a roster spot.
Minnesota has been rumored to be interested in a reunion with Kevin Love, who remains a free agent. There hasn’t been a signing yet, though.
Rudy Gobert and Joan Beringer are the two centers currently on the roster. Trey Lyles can man the middle if needed, but he is more of a natural power forward.
It would also be nice to add a more experienced center in case the not-quite-20-year-old Beringer proves that he is not quite ready for a huge uptick in playing time. The expectation is that he will be, but that can’t be said with certainty until he demonstrates that he can produce more impactful games than outings in which he struggles.
The Wolves’ regular-season opener is 33 days away. There is still some time to make an addition, and Minnesota still has room to sign some players to training-camp deals. The Knicks may have addressed their need for a third center. Let’s see if the Timberwolves do the same. If not, this concern will loom over the team.
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