After pulling their qualifying offer to small forward Shabazz Muhammad on Sunday, the Timberwolves have about $3 million in cap space to add depth to what’s now one of the best on-paper starting fives in the NBA.
The projected starters: Jeff Teague, Jimmy Butler, Andrew Wiggins, Taj Gibson, Karl-Anthony Towns
Assuming Gibson starts ahead of Gorgui Dieng, the Wolves basically flipped starters Ricky Rubio and Zach LaVine for Teague, Butler and Gibson. Not bad, right?
But there’s now a serious lack of depth at shooting guard and small forward. Who’s going to play reserve roles behind Butler and Wiggins?
- PG: Jeff Teague, Tyus Jones
- SG/SF: Jimmy Butler, Andrew Wiggins
- PF: Taj Gibson, Gorgui Dieng, Nemanja Bjelica
- C: Karl-Anthony Towns, Justin Patton, Cole Aldrich
Brandon Rush and Omri Casspi finished last season on the roster but are now unrestricted free agents.
Towns’ ability to play the four and five could allow Tom Thibodeau t0 try trading Dieng and his $14.1 million salary (or Aldrich) to add cap space to spend on legitimate wings still available in free agency.
Here are the best remaining available wings, excluding Kevin Durant, Gordon Hayward and other marquee attractions the Wolves can’t afford.
- C.J. Miles, SF
- Dion Waiters, SG
- Rudy Gay, SF
- Tyreke Evans, SG
- Thabo Sefalosha, SF
- Nick Young, SG
- Gerald Green, SG
- Bojan Bogdanovic, SG
- Ian Clark, SG
- Randy Foye, SG
- Alan Anderson, SG
- Tony Allen, SG
- Alex Poythress, SF
- Vince Carter, SF
- Luke Babbit, SF
- Michael Beasley, SF
- Sasha Vujacic, SG
- Jeff Green, SF
- Damjan Rudez, SF
Check back later for updates.
