2023 Capspace Window

[KG4Ever]

https://www.canishoopus.com/2022/5/28/23145675/big-picture-how-should-the-timberwolves-approach-this-offseason

This article includes an interesting video by Dane Moore. The Wolves essentially have a window opening in 2023 when DLO, Beasley and Pat Bev's contracts could come off the books and before the Wolves need to sign Ant and Jaden to bigger contracts. I think the Wolves must do what they can to preserve a max slot for next offseason for either (a) signing a max type free agent next offseason or (b) if they can't sign a star free agent, then they should use window to make a trade for one even if it means attaching assets.

[KG4Ever]

The best unrestricted free agents potentially available in 2023:
Jokic
LeBron James
Fred VanVleet
Kyrie (assuming he opts in this year)
Vucevic
Myles Turner
Andrew Wiggins
Christian Wood

Possible big game hunting prospects via trade: SGA, Gobert, Collins, Ben Simmons, Beal, Lillard, Tobias Harris

Any other names to add?

[Monster]

The best unrestricted free agents potentially available in 2023:
Jokic
LeBron James
Fred VanVleet
Kyrie (assuming he opts in this year)
Vucevic
Myles Turner
Andrew Wiggins
Christian Wood

Possible big game hunting prospects via trade: SGA, Gobert, Collins, Ben Simmons, Beal, Lillard, Tobias Harris

Any other names to add?

D'Angelo Russell will be a FA. Lol
Harrison Barnes
Jeremi Grant
There is some interesting RFA.

I'll add that there likely will be some guy we don't even know we will want that emerges this coming season Who will be the Jaylen Brunson from this year or Christian Woods when he signed his last contract? Maybe there is a vet player that re-emerges as a guy worth paying more than the mid-level that would be nice to have cap space to go out and get.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Cap flexibility is always nice, but the 2023 free agent class appears unusually weak. That may change slightly as monster alluded to above, but I wouldn't hold back from making a win-now type move just to save those resources for the summer of 2023.

[Q-is-here]

Seems like a lot of key pieces of the puzzle that non-LA teams get that aren't otherwise drafted come via trade. Butler (Miami), Horford (Boston), Holiday (Bucks), Paul (Phoenix), and Dinwiddie (Dallas). Those are basically your top handful of teams right now. Nearly all their other top two or three guys were drafted by them.

Being Minnesota, I would NOT count on signing a big name free agent. But this may open up room to absorb a big name vet salary, no?

[thedoper]

Cap flexibility is always nice, but the 2023 free agent class appears unusually weak. That may change slightly as monster alluded to above, but I wouldn't hold back from making a win-now type move just to save those resources for the summer of 2023.

I said it in another thread, but holding out cap space for free agency seems crazy for a franchise that has never landed a high level free agent signing. Seize the opportunity with trades and smart signings for under valued players.

[KG4Ever]

Cap flexibility is always nice, but the 2023 free agent class appears unusually weak. That may change slightly as monster alluded to above, but I wouldn't hold back from making a win-now type move just to save those resources for the summer of 2023.

I said it in another thread, but holding out cap space for free agency seems crazy for a franchise that has never landed a high level free agent signing. Seize the opportunity with trades and smart signings for under valued players.

I like capspace and we never had a competent GM before and you can use capspace for a multitude of purposes: big-game hunting, parse up the space and sign multiple players, use capspace as a trade asset. All the bad contracts should be off the books in a season. That's a very good thing. The main thing I hope is that we don't sign big contracts that go out beyond next offseason for marginal players this offseason. I'm fine with signing a Hartenstein, Jalen Smith or Nurkic on a reasonable deal as I think they can impact winning, but I don't want to bring back Taurean Prince on a multiyear deal unless its for peanuts.

[Monster]

Cap flexibility is always nice, but the 2023 free agent class appears unusually weak. That may change slightly as monster alluded to above, but I wouldn't hold back from making a win-now type move just to save those resources for the summer of 2023.

I said it in another thread, but holding out cap space for free agency seems crazy for a franchise that has never landed a high level free agent signing. Seize the opportunity with trades and smart signings for under valued players.

The thing is the Wolves can do both. I put in some basic numbers for the 2023-2024 offseason assuming they do nothing other than draft players resign prince to a deal that lasts longer than 1 year and sign a midlevel guy to a multi year deal. If they renounced Russell Beverly and declined Beasley's option they would still be in the neighborhood of max money and that includes cap holds (I think I calculated them correctly) for Naz and Nowell. So the Wolves could possibly make some trades and add salary beyond this year and have a shot at having significant cap space even max space for 2023 offseason if they choose without really compromising young or being competitive this season etc. it's also possible they can't sign Prince and or a midlevel guy to deals that are 1 year or maybe partially guaranteed etc. Some players might think that following offseason they may have more chances to get paid better and it will also be interesting to see if some other teams are hesitant to sign FA to deals past this season because they want to keep their cap space dreams alive. Like you suggested it might be good to lock in some players for cheap deals this offseason.

I brought this subject up a while ago and I'm very much against putting all the eggs in Keeping cap space basket in general not just for the Wolves. I also think that if you aren't adding a ton of value then it doesn't make sense to make a deal or use up that space when it COULD actually be a window that may allow the Wolves to do something unexpected. Just because the Wolves have never landed a top FA doesn't mean it can't happen. For one thing how many times in the 30+ years have the Wolves had significant cap space to even sign a guy? So many years the Wolves didn't even have space and some years they did they weren't good anyway. I think it makes sense to look at all the possible paths to add to the roster. Having a chance to make a pretty big move in FA a year from now is appealing and with considering. Like I laid out it doesn't mean the Wolves can't add to their roster this offseason. Considering having cap space a year from now would keep me from adding someone with significant salary in a trade that I didn't think was a large improvement over what I already have or can get in FA. It really makes me pause on guys with injury histories that are very expensive.

[WildWolf2813]

Cap Space for free agents is less of a thing now than ever. It's just flexibility in trades for teams to get under the lux in order to have a quicker reboot. Besides, it's only as valuable as the players Ant knows. KAT can't even be used as a selling point for free agents because most of the league can't stand the guy. It's all on Ant this team to develop assets because to get guys in deals, it's all about assets, not cap space.