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Timberwolves Planning to Keep Julius Randle and Naz Reid…?
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- Timberwolves Planning to Keep Julius Randle and Naz Reid…?
Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images
The Minnesota Timberwolves don't know who their owner is going to be next season yet. A panel of arbitrators awarded the team to Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore. That doesn't mean Glen Taylor is willing to give the Pohlad family the title for worst current owner in Minnesota willingly.
What does seem likely is that the Timberwolves are going to keep their rotation intact. After dealing Karl-Anthony Towns just before the regular season, the expectation was that there was money freed up to keep Naz Reid . Despite being involved in multiple trade rumors , Julius Randle may have reason to create roots with the Timberwolves as well.
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Minnesota is currently 8th in the Western Conference with a 41-32 record . They have just nine games to play and are looking to avoid the dreaded play-in tournament. To do so, they'll need both of their big men to step up prior to looking towards the future.
Both Minnesota Timberwolves big men rumored to return
Right now the MN Timberwolves sit above the second luxury tax apron. That means , barring a willingness to shed salary, Tim Connelly's team is subject to sign-and-trade restrictions, midlevel exception restrictions, trade restrictions, and first round picks (seven years out) are frozen.
It's hard for the Timberwolves to escape that reality as well, because Reid, Randle, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker are all unrestricted free agents this offseason. Each of them represents a premier talent that could be available on the open market. Senior ESPN NBA writer Tim Bontemps thinks Minnesota could still retain the majority of that talent.
"Alexander-Walker, who has been on one of the best bargain contracts in the NBA the past couple of seasons, will definitely hit the open market, while both Reid and Randle have player options to manage. All three will create some interesting decisions for Minnesota, and for different reasons."
Naz Reid earned Sixth Man of the Year honors last season. He is a fan-favorite, and his 14.7 points per game this year are a career-high. His 27.9 minutes per game are also a career-best, and it was assumed the departure of Towns paved the way for Reid to flourish in a greater capacity.
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It has been somewhat of a slow burn for Randle with the Timberwolves. Understandably it took time for him to gel with new teammates in a different system. He also dealt with an injury . Through 60 games he has averaged 32 minutes per game and 18.6 points while pairing with Rudy Gobert in the paint.
Related: Glen Taylor Holding Back Timberwolves Ownership Change Yet Again
That leaves Alexander-Walker who has blossomed into a key role player. He has appeared in 73 games with 10 starts and averaged 9.2 points per game. Next season will be his seventh in the NBA, and he will be seeking more opportunity as well as a payday. It's understandable to see why Alexander-Walker could be the odd man out.
What do the MN Timberwolves do in free agency?
It's really hard to project where the Minnesota Timberwolves turn. That issue starts at the top. Right now the franchise doesn't have a clear direction as to who they will be owned by. President Tim Connelly signed a one-year extension to see the process play out, but he'll need clarity whether he stays and builds or leaves for greener pastures.
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ESPN Insider Brian Windhorst isn't certain how things will play out for the reasons stated above. The reality is that Minnesota lacks clarity.
"There are some combinations where they could fit Alexander-Walker, Reid and Randle back in below the projected $207 million second apron, but there's no clarity on how deep whoever owns the team is willing to go…Minnesota has another potential free agent: team president Tim Connelly. But with ownership uncertain, he negotiated a no-strings-attached out in his contract after last season. When Taylor and Lore went to court, sources told ESPN, Connelly agreed to an amendment in his deal to push the opt-out to this summer. Team sources also said that Lore has made it a priority to extend Connelly with a new deal once he gets full control of the team. Lore doesn't have the team yet, and Connelly is still holding the opt-out."
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Beyond just the organization structure, there has been plenty of suggestion regarding a monumental shakeup to the roster. The Timberwolves attempted to trade for Kevin Durant this season. Those talks could rekindle during the offseason, and they'd likely involve Randle .
Veteran Joe Ingles is definitely gone, and Mike Conley could join him . The youth of Anthony Edwards , Jaden McDaniels , and Donte DiVencenzo will remain. So will draft picks like Rob Dillingham , Terrence Shannon Jr. , and Leonard Miller . Jaylen Clark , Josh Minott , and Luka Garza are likely to be around as well.
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It will be fascinating to see how the Timberwolves navigate roster building this offseason. That only gets more complicated if they opt to keep and pay both of their big men.
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