It’s likely that Minnesota Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations, Tim Connelly, has already revealed his strategy for the 2024 offseason. There’s no ownership pressure to stay below the luxury tax aprons. Instead, the directive from the top is to retain as much talent from the 2023-24 roster as possible. The buzz around a potential Karl-Anthony Towns trade has mostly dissipated, and there hasn’t been much talk about trading other players.
The Timberwolves traded Kyle Anderson to Golden State via sign-and-trade and lost Monte Morris to Phoenix. However, Luka Garza is returning, and they’ve signed veteran sharpshooter Joe Ingles in free agency. Ingles is expected to enhance the team’s offense compared to Anderson, though he might be a defensive downgrade.
Now, Minnesota has one roster spot left, and Connelly is looking to fill it with a valuable bench veteran who is worth more than the minimum contract but is willing to take a pay cut to chase a championship with the Timberwolves.
The search for this player has been challenging, but according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, Connelly has some targets in mind. These include Gary Trent Jr., Lonnie Walker IV, Doug McDermott, and possibly Malik Beasley.
I think I See Gary Trent Jr’s Time As Raptor… It’s Over Lets Be Brutally Honest.. unless Masai does some magic work pic.twitter.com/ELhPBiI0Dq
— Kadeem (@kdeemoo) June 30, 2024
The Timberwolves can only offer a veteran’s minimum contract to these players, all of whom could address the team’s needs. Whether any of these players would accept a minimum contract to join Minnesota remains uncertain.
There’s a common thread among these potential targets: they’re all wing shooters, indicating the type of player head coach Chris Finch wants to fill the final roster spot.
Gary Trent Jr., an Apple Valley native, is 25 years old and averaged over 13 points per game last season, shooting nearly 40% from three. Two years ago, Trent Jr. seemed poised for a max contract extension, but his performance has since declined, making him a high-end minimum contract option.
Former Timberwolf Malik Beasley is similar to Trent Jr. If Trent Jr. gets a better offer elsewhere, Beasley might be the best option for Minnesota. Beasley has the highest three-point percentage among the four and might be more willing to accept a veteran minimum deal. Like Trent Jr., Beasley isn’t known for his defense but does rebound well.
Doug McDermott and Lonnie Walker IV are also considerations. Walker, another 25-year-old, is a scoring-focused player whose best season saw him average 12.1 points per game. Last season, he averaged 9.7 points. McDermott, 32, from Grand Forks, ND, is the most veteran option but had a down season, averaging just 5.5 points per game.
season 10 for Doug McDermott ✔️ pic.twitter.com/414lSPFQcq
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) June 15, 2024
At first glance, McDermott might seem like the least appealing option, but he may be the most realistic. His recent performance aligns with a veteran minimum contract, unlike the mid-20-somethings who might believe they deserve more.
Re-signing Malik Beasley could be a great move for the Timberwolves, provided there are no off-court issues.
