2019 Minnesota Timberwolves Off-Season Thread

Yahoo chimes in:

6. Minnesota Timberwolves
Jarrett Culver, G, Texas Tech

A promising role player on an Elite Eight team as a freshman, Culver made a massive leap as a sophomore. The 6-6 shooting guard led Texas Tech to within one victory of a national title even though he was the only one of the Red Raiders’ top six players who returned from the previous season. Culver lacks the explosive athleticism or shiftiness off the dribble to emerge as a star in the NBA, but the hard worker is a good bet to become a solid two-way starter. The key will be if he can become a more consistent outside shooter.

Grade: B

https://sports.yahoo.com/grading-the-first-round-of-the-nba-draft-053959136.html

Howl Wolves!!
 

SI chimes in:

6. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Suns): Jarrett Culver, G, Texas Tech
This is strong value for Minnesota at No. 6, landing a player who you can argue for as the third-best prospect in the draft. Culver has made major strides, plays hard on both ends and should be a positive contributor for the Wolves. He’s a relatively safe choice for them, but also fits nicely with what they have on the roster, and comes with an appealing floor and ceiling. The Wolves maneuvered effectively to this spot and made a strong decision. Grade: A

https://www.si.com/nba/2019/06/20/n...-tracker-zion-williamson-ja-morant-rj-barrett

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Sporting News chimes in:

Selected by Phoenix, Culver will be headed to Minnesota in a deal that will see the No. 11 pick and Dario Saric go to the Suns. Although the Timberwolves sacrificed an initial asset to snag Culver, this feels like a positive play for Minnesota's new front office, as Saric is already 25 years old and doesn't figure to be anything more than a rotation piece.

Culver, on the other hand, has some legitimate upside. He came into the draft as the No. 4 prospect on our big board. The 20-year-old is also the third-highest rated prospect in FiveThirtyEight's upside model. Why? Culver checks the boxes on both sides of the ball, and his ability to generate steals sticks out, in particular. He's not necessarily a defensive stopper, but his steal rate suggests a certain innate feel for the game that's often present in prospects who outperform expectations.

The Texas Tech product's offensive game is interesting. In college, he transitioned from spot-up threat as a freshman to ball-dominant pseudo-point guard as a sophomore. Culver has underrated court vision and playmaking ability. The jumper, though, remains a question mark. It has a super high release point and a bit of a hitch. His sophomore shooting numbers - 30.4 percent from 3-point range and 70.7 percent at the foul line - don't suggest he'll be a good shooter right away, but these are the type of players worth betting on figuring out ways to contribute.

Culver's got a high basketball IQ, he's a hard worker and he has enough skill to work with as a base. Minnesota needs to find additional talent to pair with Karl-Anthony Towns after the Andrew Wiggins deal went down in flames. This should be a good start.

Grade: B+

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba...nalysis-rounds-1-2/1s9kt8vxti6ov1f7n6orhyrmqo

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I’m not sure why the wolves traded one of their few cheap salary slots to get another wing who can’t shoot.


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STrib: Wolves extend qualifying offer to Tyus Jones

In a move that was expected, the Timberwolves extended a qualifying offer to guard Tyus Jones, who will become a restricted free agent.

The deal is for one year and is seen as a formality before Jones fields potentially longer-term, more lucrative offers in free agency.

By extending the qualifying offer, the Wolves prevent him from becoming an unrestricted free agent, meaning the Wolves maintain control over whether they ultimately sign him or not.

The Wolves can match any offer sheet Jones receives from another team. Jones, an Apple Valley native, just completed his fourth season in which he averaged 6.9 points and 4.8 assists in 68 games.

It will be an intriguing market for Jones, who saw his shooting slip this season to 42 percent from a career high 45 percent a season ago.

http://www.startribune.com/wolves-extend-qualifying-offer-to-tyus-jones/511842622/

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per the Wolves:

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team has added to Head Coach Ryan Saunders’ coaching staff by hiring Kevin Burleson as Player Development Coach, promoting Brian Randle to Player Development Coach and naming Jason Hervey Quality Control Coach. Burleson, Randle and Hervey join previously announced hires David Vanterpool (Associate Head Coach) and Pablo Prigioni (Assistant Coach) on Saunders’ staff.

“We have added two talented player development coaches in Kevin and Brian,” said Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations Gersson Rosas. “Developing our players both on and off the floor is critical to creating a sustainable winning environment. Kevin and Brian’s skills and experience in this area will help us immensely.”

“We welcome Jason to our Timberwolves family,” Rosas said. “As we focus on collaboration and alignment, Jason will be vital in helping our basketball operations and coaching staffs operate efficiently.”

“I’m excited to have a fellow Gopher in Kevin coming back to Minnesota,” said Timberwolves Head Coach Ryan Saunders. “Kevin has a proven ability in player development and we’re glad to add him to our staff.”

“We valued the work Brian did for us last season and look forward to his perspective in helping to develop our players,” Saunders said. “Brian has a bright future in the NBA.”

“Jason is a valuable addition to our staff,” Saunders said. “He has worked his way up in the NBA and brings a broad and diverse skill set to our team. I am looking forward to having him join our staff in this role.”

Burleson joins the Timberwolves after serving as an assistant coach for player development for the Memphis Grizzlies during the 2018-19 NBA season. In 2017-18, Burleson was associate head coach of the Iowa Wolves, the Timberwolves’ G League affiliate. He began his coaching career when he joined the Houston Rockets as a player development coach, a role he held from 2014-17.

“It’s great to be back in Minnesota and with a team on the rise,” Burleson said. “I’m eager to start working with our players to help them and the team succeed.”

Undrafted out of the University of Minnesota in 2003, Burleson started his professional playing career in Germany with USC Heidelberg (2003-04). He then went on to play for the Walter Tigers Tübingen of Basketball Bundesliga before signing with the NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats in 2005. Burleson played one season for Charlotte, appearing in 39 games. He later competed professionally in the NBA G League, Turkey, Romania and Egypt. The brother of former NFL wide receiver Nate Burleson, Kevin has two seasons of player experience in the G League, suiting up for the Fort Worth Flyers during the 2006-07 season and the Idaho Stampede in 2008-09.

https://www.nba.com/timberwolves/news/minnesota-timberwolves-add-coaching-staff

Go Gophers!!
 



per Sid:

Jottings

• If the Timberwolves are going to make any moves in free agency, it’s going to have to come via trade. With the new NBA salary cap set at $109 million for the 2019-2010 season, the Wolves have around $2.4 million to spend before they hit the salary cap. The luxury tax threshold is $132 million so, if owner Glen Taylor (who also owns the Star Tribune) is willing to spend the money, they could work some deals and spend an additional $26 million in salaries before they hit that mark.

• The Wolves’ decision to hire former Gophers standout Kevin Burleson as a player development coach is a great story. Burleson worked his way through every level of coaching to get this chance. He held a similar role with the Rockets from 2014-2017 when new Wolves President Gersson Rosas was there.

http://www.startribune.com/cleveland-lurks-as-injuries-hit-twins/511931312/

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STrib: NBA free-agent season won't consume Wolves

Free agency has become the lifeblood of the NBA. Player movement and its revolving discussion throughout the year have fueled the league’s growth and turned it into a must-follow event, primed for social media consumption.

But while free agency, which begins in earnest with the start of negotiations at 5 p.m. Sunday, might be the main attraction for some fans, it’s not for Timberwolves President Gersson Rosas and his vision for the future.

“For us, free agency is important, but it’s not the priority,” Rosas said. “We’re building this program through the draft. We’re building it through trades and resetting and developing. Free agency plays an important role, but it’s a calculated and strategic role. You don’t want to be in free agency for the sake of being in free agency.”

Rosas has referred to free agency as a “hard place” to live, and his cautious approach toward it might be wise given Minnesota is a market that hasn’t traditionally lured big-name free agents. And the Wolves haven’t been reported as sniffing around any of the big names set to become available like Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Kyrie Irving and Kemba Walker.

That’s not to say the Wolves are going to be quiet come Sunday. Most of the speculation that has danced in the minds of Wolves fans while providing fodder for blogs and memes on Instagram and Twitter has been the Wolves’ interest in Nets guard D’Angelo Russell, a restricted free agent.

Russell may come available because the Nets are the reported front-runners to sign Irving. Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns are good friends. But Russell’s path to Minnesota is harder than him just agreeing to come here. The Wolves have $111 committed to eight players after the trading of Dario Saric and the drafting of Jarrett Culver with the sixth overall pick last week. The salary cap sits around $109 million, so the Wolves would have to create some space if they want to get Russell, most likely via a sign-and-trade with the Nets and potentially a third team.

Somehow finding someone to take on Andrew Wiggins’ max contract would be one pathway to getting Russell in Minnesota, but that’s a tall order given where Wiggins’ value is after the first year of that deal.

http://www.startribune.com/nba-free-agent-season-won-t-consume-wolves/511933172/

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If this is true, that we will find the cap space, it likely means we have a trade we can pull the trigger on for either Wiggins or a Teague/Gorgi combo. To pull that off we'd likely have to trade Culver and RoCo as well.

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SkorNorth had a long breakdown on their website with all of the sign-and-trade options and salary issues.

Short version is that there are ways the Wolves could get Russell and make the money work, but almost every scenario involves finding a third team to get involved. Brooklyn does not want to take contracts back in any deal, so any players the Wolves want to move would have to go to another team. Might be a couple of teams that would consider Wiggins. Teague could be harder to deal.
 

SkorNorth had a long breakdown on their website with all of the sign-and-trade options and salary issues.

Short version is that there are ways the Wolves could get Russell and make the money work, but almost every scenario involves finding a third team to get involved. Brooklyn does not want to take contracts back in any deal, so any players the Wolves want to move would have to go to another team. Might be a couple of teams that would consider Wiggins. Teague could be harder to deal.

I would see Teague as easier to move - expiring contract and is a functional player when healthy.
 

per Shooter:

In order to sign restricted free agent point guard D’Angelo Russell, who is expected to meet with the Timberwolves on Sunday, the Wolves most certainly will have to find a trade partner for point guard Jeff Teague, who is guaranteed $19 million this season.

Meanwhile, the Wolves had a productive meeting on Saturday with point guard Tyus Jones, who is set to become a restricted free agent.

https://www.twincities.com/2019/06/29/charley-walters-twins-derek-falvey-thad-levine-are-keepers/

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Rumors of D Russell very close to heading on his way to Golden State in a sign-and-trade between the Nets and Warriors.

I was never a fan of the Wolves picking up Russell, way too many maturity issues, but part of me was hoping for the splash it would be with this new regime. Maybe some other things are still in the works!
 

Gotta hand it to Warriors management, that's a group that never says die. Be interesting to see how Russell fits in with the offense. Sucks we couldn't make that move work

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Taj is a much bigger loss


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Neither one of them was a big loss, it was the right move to let both Rose and Taj walk. Especially at those prices/years.

Losing out on Russell is a gut punch for us, but what a shocking turn of events. I don't like this move at all from the Warriors perspective. Curry and Russell will be a train wreck combo defensively. Iguadala is still a super valuable player, and they were forced to toss in a lightly protected 1st rounder as well.

Russell had a chance to form a dominate P&R combo with his buddy, and instead chose to be a 3rd option and spot up shooter in Golden State. Enjoy
 

New Wolves plan post-Russell:

*Target best available stretch 4 with the midlevel (Marcus Morris, then JaMychael Green)
*Try like hell to deal Wiggins for ANYTHING
*Bring back Teague as we'll likely need him as a starter this season. Then let his deal expire, further cleaning up our books
*Re-sign Tyus for something reasonable (3 yrs/$15 mill range) and let him compete with Teague

Not sexy, but this is the correct path for us. Slow and steady, build up the asset base, be in a position to strike the next time a quality young guard is available.
 

STrib: Looking at the Wolves' free-agent options after missing out on D'Angelo Russell

So now what?

After the Timberwolves missed out on D’Angelo Russell late Sunday night, it sent a wave of disappointment for those fans who had high hopes while others who may have been more jaded now have the right to say, “I told you so.”

But the Wolves still need to field a roster for next season, and while you can put to rest those dreams of a Russell-Karl-Anthony Towns pick and roll, perhaps Russell’s decision to play for Golden State opens up room for Tyus Jones to come back.

Jones had a meeting with the Wolves via Skype on Sunday and he’s a restricted free agent, meaning the Wolves can match any offer sheet that Jones gets. A lot of guards have already come off the free-agent market, and it’ll be interesting to see where it lands for Jones. It’s hard to pin down where exactly Jones’ value is. He could command an annual salary in the $8 million range, but that could fluctuate up or down.

The Wolves are expected to continue their conversations with Jones and after missing out on Russell, the Wolves are still in need of point guards, especially now that Derrick Rose’s return isn’t an option as he is set to sign a two-year deal with Detroit. Jeff Teague and his expiring $19 million deal are still on the roster for next season.

The Wolves still have a need for power forwards after Taj Gibson signed with the Knicks and the team traded Dario Saric to the Suns in the deal that netted Jarrett Culver with the No. 6 pick in the draft.
As it stands now, Gorgui Dieng is the only natural four on the Wolves roster or else the team will have to play small ball with Robert Covington potentially at that position, something President Gersson Rosas said the team was open to trying.

One name to watch in that market is JaMychal Green, who has played five seasons with the Clippers, Grizzlies and Spurs. He averaged 9.4 points per game in playing 65 games with the Grizzlies and Clippers.

Both Marcus and Markieff Morris are also available.

As of Sunday, there was little contact between Anthony Tolliver and the Wolves about bringing Tolliver back.

http://www.startribune.com/looking-...er-missing-out-on-d-angelo-russell/512061422/

Howl Wolves!!
 

per STrib:

It turns out the Timberwolves got in on a D’Angelo Russell sign-and-trade after all.

In a cruel twist, the Wolves helped facilitate Russell’s move to the Warriors by taking on the two ancillary players Brooklyn sent to Golden State — Shabazz Napier and Treveon Graham — along with getting an unspecified amount of cash for their troubles, a source confirmed.

The Wolves also made a move for depth, signing former Warriors center Jordan Bell to a one-year deal worth $1.6 million, a source confirmed. Bell, who had two tumultuous seasons in Golden State, can provide defense off the bench and fills a hole in the frontcourt the team created when it traded Dario Saric to get Jarrett Culver in the draft.

That added up to the sum of Wolves transactions through the first two days of free agency — low-level, under-the-radar moves that provide the team with some flexibility (both Napier and Graham are in the final years of their contracts and have non-guaranteed deals, meaning they could be potential trade pieces).

Money has been flying around in the first two days of NBA free agency. So much money. Billions, in fact, have been agreed to since Sunday. But little of it came from the Wolves.

Perhaps there’s some value in zigging where others zag, but it wasn’t as if the Wolves were sitting on their hands. They tried but couldn’t land Russell. Their main pieces of the roster stood largely where they were previously as the league swirled around them.

Andrew Wiggins is still with the Wolves, and so are Jeff Teague and Gorgui Dieng, the most likely pieces the team would have had to move to accommodate Russell.

The Wolves still have some work to do in free agency, and some holes to fill on the roster for next season. Where do they go from here? First, it might be wise to remember President Gersson Rosas’ experience in Houston.

As has been said, he will keep trying to find a way to acquire a superstar-level talent. When he was in Houston, the Rockets’ acquisition of James Harden, a move that transformed the franchise, didn’t come overnight. Instead, it happened after accumulating assets and finding the right opportunity to strike and acquire such talent. Finally, the stars aligned in 2012 for the Rockets to land Harden from Oklahoma City.

The Wolves are still laden with a few high-priced contracts, but as of now, they haven’t sacrificed any future draft capital. But the NBA is a strange league. Injuries and player unhappiness can alter its dynamics on a dime, and even though the Wolves may have struck out now, the winds can change direction quickly. Setting themselves up for that moment is likely to be the front office’s priority, as it was in Monday’s trade, and those burdensome contracts become less burdensome and more movable over time if the Wolves hang on to them. Of course, that could affect the team the Wolves put on the floor next season.

Related to that, the Wolves are still waiting to see what happens with restricted free agent Tyus Jones, who had a meeting with the Wolves on Sunday. The Wolves can match any offer sheet Jones signs from another team.

A lot of guards have already come off the free-agent market, and it will be interesting to see where the market lands on Jones. It’s hard to pin down where exactly Jones’ value is. The Apple Valley product could command an annual salary in the $8 million range, but that could fluctuate up or down.

The Wolves still have their $9.2 million midlevel exception and their $3.6 million biannual exception to use before they reach the $132 million luxury tax. Bell’s signing for the minimum helps keep them in range to fill out the roster without hitting the tax threshold.

The Wolves are expected to continue their conversations with Jones. And after missing out on Russell, the team is still in need of point guards, especially now that Derrick Rose’s return isn’t an option as he is set to sign a two-year deal with Detroit.

The moves Monday might have been small, but bigger moves will happen under Rosas. It’s just a matter of when the timing is right.

http://www.startribune.com/wolves-m...erstars-as-free-agency-gets-moving/512093932/

Howl Wolves!!
 


Neither one of them was a big loss, it was the right move to let both Rose and Taj walk. Especially at those prices/years.

Losing out on Russell is a gut punch for us, but what a shocking turn of events. I don't like this move at all from the Warriors perspective. Curry and Russell will be a train wreck combo defensively. Iguadala is still a super valuable player, and they were forced to toss in a lightly protected 1st rounder as well.

Russell had a chance to form a dominate P&R combo with his buddy, and instead chose to be a 3rd option and spot up shooter in Golden State. Enjoy

I wouldn't want Russell for what we would have had to move and pay. Russell is not worth anything close to a max deal (only if it meant Wiggins being moved). Two #1's is too much and a max signing imo. Having a big three of Towns, Russell and Wiggins would have been beyond terrible.
 




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