Garza and Minott options declined

[kekgeek]

The Timberwolves have reportedly declined team options for Josh Minott and Luka Garza, per @MikeAScotto

However, Luka Garza COULD be back with the Wolves on a new deal, per @ChristopherHine

[WildWolf2813]

Garza must really hate the idea of going overseas to hoop because he could make so much money doing so. He fits that style more.

[kekgeek]

This puts the tax payer MLE in play and puts trading NAW for a player in play

[Phenom]

My head is spinning. I thought the Wolves could use the tax MLE, then they couldn't, now they can.

[Volans19]

Look, Minott had a shot early in the year and Finch kept his leash short. I know even if we brought him back he probably wouldn't play.

But dammit I'm so bummed that we let him go. I had (have) irrationally high hopes for him. Hopefully one of the basement dweller teams will give him a shot. I'll be rooting for him

Garza I could live without.

[kekgeek]

My head is spinning. I thought the Wolves could use the tax MLE, then they couldn't, now they can.

Haha, they now can because of declining those 2. It will really close though

[WildWolf2813]

My head is spinning. I thought the Wolves could use the tax MLE, then they couldn't, now they can.

Haha, they now can because of declining those 2. It will really close though

hooray flexibility!

[Wolvesfan21]

I smell a new player incoming. They had to drop that 4 and a half or 5 whatever to be able to use the tax payer MLE. I have no idea who, but we'll see!

[kekgeek]

This actually makes me upset what they did in the 2nd round. They were not in a roster spot limit crunch as projected

[Lipoli390]

This puts the tax payer MLE in play and puts trading NAW for a player in play

With the Naz and Randle deals and the release of Josh and Luka, we have 11 players under contract (assuming we pick up our option on Dilly) and a total payroll of $193.6M. That puts us about $2.3M below the projected 1st apron of $195.9. Can we use the non-taxpayer MLE if it would put us over the 1st apron? If so, then the non-taxpayer MLE is certainly in play but we’d be limited practically speaking to using only a portion of it given the imperative of staying under the $207.8M second apron. The non-taxpayer MLE will be about $14M. One $14 MLE contract would put our payroll at $207.6M for 12 roster players, leaving us barely under the second apron with two or three slots to fill. Each vet minimum counts $1.8M against the cap. So realistically it looks like we can use only up to around $10M of the non-taxpayer MLE, but I think that could land us a pretty good backup C or veteran PG. A NAW sign-and-trade that brings back a contract of $10M or less next season is another alternative. It will be interesting to see what TC does.