Lipoli390 wrote: ↑Sat Jun 27, 2026 6:16 pm
The biggest contract the Minnesota Timberwolves can offer unrestricted free agent Dean Wade is the $6.1 million taxpayer mid-level exception (MLE), but it is highly unlikely to land him. Following their block-buster trade for LaMelo Ball, the Timberwolves are hard-capped and sit just $11 million below the second apron with four roster spots left to fill, locking them out of the full non-taxpayer MLE.Meanwhile, Dean Wade's market value in free agency is projected to be much higher, with league insiders expecting him to command a contract in the $40 million range over three to four years.
Sorry to kill anyone’s Dean Wade dream, including my own, but this is reality.
Lip, what can we do if we are willing to include Donte and/or Green in a deal for a PF?
That combo would total total $27,214,012. That combo would open the salary cap door to all the guys I listed including PJ Washington, Obi Toppin, Kuminga, Kuzma, Keeegan Murray, Patrick Williams and possibly a sign-and trade for Tari Eason. Whether any of these other teams would be interested in that combo is another question. I really have no interest in Patrick Williams - another notorious underachiever with a low basketball IQ and lack of competitive fire. I have no interested in Jovic who is soft and a terrible rebounder. He’s just a tall shooter who didn’t shoot well last year. The whole point of bringing in a true PF is to provide defense and rebounding that wings and guards can’t provide. Otherwise, if you want floor spacing you used your wings or guards who can actually spread the floor with their shooting. Jovic is just a tall think wing who isn’t even that good of a wing.
I’d love to get Jalen Smith from Chicago but I don’t know how we do that.
As we dream about adding a two-way, stretch PF who can defend (good luck with that), we have to ask ourselves where’re we’re going to get the 13 rebounds per game we got last season from Randle and Naz. They’re not going to come from Beringer because almost all his minutes will be as Rudy’s backup. Rebounding is such an incredibly important part of winning basketball.
Lipoli390 wrote: ↑Sat Jun 27, 2026 6:41 pm
As we dream about adding a two-way, stretch PF who can defend (good luck with that), we have to ask ourselves where’re we’re going to get the 13 rebounds per game we got last season from Randle and Naz. They’re not going to come from Beringer because almost all his minutes will be as Rudy’s backup. Rebounding is such an incredibly important part of winning basketball.
It's a great point. Jaden isn't going to suddenly become Dennis Rodman.
Lipoli390 wrote: ↑Sat Jun 27, 2026 6:16 pm
The biggest contract the Minnesota Timberwolves can offer unrestricted free agent Dean Wade is the $6.1 million taxpayer mid-level exception (MLE), but it is highly unlikely to land him. Following their block-buster trade for LaMelo Ball, the Timberwolves are hard-capped and sit just $11 million below the second apron with four roster spots left to fill, locking them out of the full non-taxpayer MLE.Meanwhile, Dean Wade's market value in free agency is projected to be much higher, with league insiders expecting him to command a contract in the $40 million range over three to four years.
Sorry to kill anyone’s Dean Wade dream, including my own, but this is reality.
Lip, what can we do if we are willing to include Donte and/or Green in a deal for a PF?
That combo would total total $27,214,012. That combo would open the salary cap door to all the guys I listed including PJ Washington, Obi Toppin, Kuminga, Kuzma, Keeegan Murray, Patrick Williams and possibly a sign-and trade for Tari Eason. Whether any of these other teams would be interested in that combo is another question. I really have no interest in Patrick Williams - another notorious underachiever with a low basketball IQ and lack of competitive fire. I have no interested in Jovic who is soft and a terrible rebounder. He’s just a tall shooter who didn’t shoot well last year. The whole point of bringing in a true PF is to provide defense and rebounding that wings and guards can’t provide. Otherwise, if you want floor spacing you used your wings or guards who can actually spread the floor with their shooting. Jovic is just a tall think wing who isn’t even that good of a wing.
I’d love to get Jalen Smith from Chicago but I don’t know how we do that.
I'd like him too. The only possibility I see would be sending them Divo and Green for Jalen and eating P. Williams' contract. Maybe get a 2nd or two back from them in the process?
Then you evaluate the roster and open up the idea of attaching TSJ, Evans, Clark, the other rookie, a 2nd or two with Williams for player X during the season.
Last edited by TheFuture on Sat Jun 27, 2026 7:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Lipoli390 wrote: ↑Sat Jun 27, 2026 6:41 pm
As we dream about adding a two-way, stretch PF who can defend (good luck with that), we have to ask ourselves where’re we’re going to get the 13 rebounds per game we got last season from Randle and Naz. They’re not going to come from Beringer because almost all his minutes will be as Rudy’s backup. Rebounding is such an incredibly important part of winning basketball.
It's a great point. Jaden isn't going to suddenly become Dennis Rodman.
That’s right. Maybe Jaden adds another 2 rebounds per game to his average. LaMelo will give us more rebounding at the PG position, but it likely won’t be more than 1 extra rebound over Donte’s 4.1 average. Maybe Edwards can average an extra rebound per game. That’s three extra rebounds from those three. It cuts the deficit to 10. Add Ayo’s rebounding for the whole season and maybe a few more among the others. I still think we have a serious rebounding problem next season with the roster as it currently stands. So whether we acquire a PF who can shoot and spread the floor or a PF who defends and intimidates the other team, that player has to be a very good rebounder.
Last edited by Lipoli390 on Sat Jun 27, 2026 6:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
BloopOracle wrote: ↑Sat Jun 27, 2026 6:50 pm
Lamelo is in the 99th percentile or something crazy for rebounding when it comes to point guards
Yes, but LaMelo averaged 4.8 rebounds last season compared to Donte’s 4.1. He’s effectively replacing Donte as our starting PG, and based on last season, he adds less than1 free bound per game.
LaMelo Ball averages over five rebounds a game. In ayo’s time with the wolves last year, he averaged a full rebound higher than his career average.. Kaufman Renn best skill was rebounding in college. If we are expecting Ant to be more locked in defensively with less on his plate on the offensive side of the showrunner, maybe we can get elite and defense more often or expect a slight bump in his rebounds at worse.
One addition won’t replace 13 rebounds. There are ways to backfill it in aggregate an la money all
Go look up the league's staying power forwards, Jaden and his body type wouldn't look out of place at all on that list. In fact guys like Giannis look more out of place than Jaden.
If you ask me, I'd be more in favor of upgrading POA at the SF spot cause I'm not entirely sold on Ayo there but I'm hopeful. Regardless I'm comfortable handing that duty off to him and letting Jaden work off the help side. You're most impactful defenders are almost always big for a reason, it's an easier position to impact the offense from and I really believe number 3 will thrive here
Jaden as PF isn't without some caveats and risk, but I think he'll excel, and for what it's worth he's a good and gritty rebounder when the game plan calls for it.
All that said they absolutely need legit depth at the forward position. Ant also has to start taking defense seriously again, and to be honest I think he will. I don't think it's a coincidence that his downward trend here started with Conley's role getting diminished after Randle's arrival.
There is just more consternation here than seems worthwhile to me
