Minnesota Sports Forum

As we focus on the draft and potential draft-related trades, it's interesting to think about free agent possibilities. The Wolves won't have cap room to sign an impact free agent, but they should be in a position to sign a free agent with the MLE, which I think is around $9 million. I'm not sure that would be enough to sign the free agents who would make a difference. Money aside, here are my favorite free agents who I would love to see the Wolves pursue:

Joe Harris
Jerami Grant
Christian Wood
Justin Holiday

Unfortunately, I doubt we could sign Harris or Grant for the MLE. Justin Holiday is probably gettable at that price, but I'm not sure he's worth it. I don't think Detroit will let Wood go.

Some other, likely cheaper, free agents I'd be interested in considering:

Nerlens Noel
Alex Len
John Henson
Josh Jackson
Harry Giles
Denzel Valentine

Josh Jackson and Aaron Baynes are 2 guys I would be intrigued in. Paul Millsap also i mean he almost came here with Thibs. Just think Millsap is going to a winner

I can't see them doing anything without creating the roster space to be able to pursue free agents.

If they sign a free agent at all, it's gonna have to be someone with size because there just isn't gonna be any room in the backcourt to give out minutes except for maybe backup PG and there's an opportunity to fill that with either the #17, #33 pick or McLaughlin.

Nerlens Noel and Mason Plumlee are probably the most realistic outside of Beasley/Hernangomez/McLaughlin

Noel checks off a lot of needs the team has and from an age standpoint, the timeline Rosas wants.

Signing Noel also reduces pressure off Reid in case he struggles early in his second season and would make up for not drafting an Okongwu or Wiseman as well as not bank on #17 or #33 if they're a big (the only argument against this is if they're hellbent on getting Vanderbilt rotational minutes.)

Towns /Noel or Plumlee /Reid
Johnson /Vanderbilt
Culver/Layman
Edwards at #1 /Okogie /Nowell
Russell /Terry at #17 /McLaughlin


I'm presuming they somehow dump Evans/Spellman in some deal involving the 33rd pick

Also assuming Beasley and Hernangomez don't return.

Noel would be a heck of a get. This just shows once again that solid, role-playing bigs are cheap these days. There are just less slots for them since anyone that fits the profile of a traditional PF or C now only plays C. It's the law of supply and demand. The supply is good, but the demand is down, thus prices fall.

Q12543 wrote:Noel would be a heck of a get. This just shows once again that solid, role-playing bigs are cheap these days. There are just less slots for them since anyone that fits the profile of a traditional PF or C now only plays C. It's the law of supply and demand. The supply is good, but the demand is down, thus prices fall.

I just heard this weekend that the Rockets should go after Noel.

Seems like a good landing spot for the guy... start for a playoff team, play some D, get a lot of tv time, and catch a lot of lob dunks.

I don't think the Wolves can offer that.

AbeVigodaLive wrote:

Q12543 wrote:Noel would be a heck of a get. This just shows once again that solid, role-playing bigs are cheap these days. There are just less slots for them since anyone that fits the profile of a traditional PF or C now only plays C. It's the law of supply and demand. The supply is good, but the demand is down, thus prices fall.

I just heard this weekend that the Rockets should go after Noel.

Seems like a good landing spot for the guy... start for a playoff team, play some D, get a lot of tv time, and catch a lot of lob dunks.

I don't think the Wolves can offer that.

Agreed, but nor do I think his signing would be very pivotal to our ultimate success. We're talking about 15 minutes per game of playing time available, assuming Rosas/Saunders refuses to play him with KAT. Naz Reid may suffice for now and we may even go Center-less at times when KAT is sitting.

Frank Kaminsky would be a solid back up big. I think he would fall in the MLE range.

Jerami Grant is and has been my top target in free agency for months. How realistic of a target he is can be debated. I've also wanted the Wolves to pursue Joe Harris for years. Both might be out of Minnesota's price range.

Others I like:

- Justin Holiday
- Glenn Robinson III
- Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

With the cap expected to be an issue... there will presumably be smart teams that will take advantage of a possibly depressed market, right?

And dumb desperate teams who overpay comparatively?

We're trusting you, Rosas!

AbeVigodaLive wrote:With the cap expected to be an issue... there will presumably be smart teams that will take advantage of a possibly depressed market, right?

And dumb desperate teams who overpay comparatively?

We're trusting you, Rosas!

*proceeds to pay Malik Beasley $80-million over four-years*