Free Agent Big Possibilities for Next Season

[Lipoli390]

I've made a list of bigs I think the Wolves should consider signing for next season. All but two (Bamba & Bagley) will be unrestricted free agents. For the most part, I've listed bigs who have really good size and rebounding ability since those are the two things this team needs the most. But there are some exceptions like Covington who would be smaller and provide other attributes. But Covington is low on my list. I've filtered out free agent bigs who I'd have no interest in. Nurkic and Mitchell Robinson are at the top of my list and I would either as a starter next to KAT with Vando coming off the bench. I see the others as potential rotation bigs who might start or come off the bench depending on how well they play.

Some on the list (Nurkic, Robinson) would require the full MLE and even that might not be enough. I see Nurkic as potentially gettable on a multi-year deal that starts at the full MLE (around $10M) and escalates. That's only $2M less than he's making now and his injury issues will likely depress his market value, which could make a multi-year deal really attractive to him and his agent. Moreover, he might consider the Wolves an attractive destination as a young ascending team. Mitchell Robinson would probably require more than the $10M MLE, but I included him anyway because I think he's be such a great get for the Wolves. He strikes me as more of a sign-and-trade candidate. Mo Bamba will be a RFA. Perhaps he's a sign-and-trade candidate, but I suspect it would take a lot to get him. So I don't think he's a realistic possibility.

The vast majority of bigs on my list should be gettable with the BAE or vet minimum. They include Andre Drummond, Hartenstein and Moses Brown among others.

Here's my list. It includes their current agent this season's salary:

POTENTIAL MLE FREE AGENT BIGS (All or part of MLE)

Nurkic (Portland, 27.5 yrs., $12M)
Mitchell Robinson (Knicks, 23.9 yrs., $1.5M)
Mo Bamba RFA
Serge Ibaka (Milwaukee, 32.4 yrs., $9.5M)
Thomas Bryant (Wizards, 24.6 yrs., $8.3M)
Robert Covington (Clippers, 31.2, $11.7M)
Montrezl Harrell (Charlotte, 28.1 yrs., $9.5M)
Marvin Bagley (Pistons, 22.9 yrs., $9.0M) - RFA
Chris Boucher (Toronto, 29.7 yrs., $6.8M)
Jalen Smith (Pacers, 21.9 yrs., $4.8M)
Kevon Looney (Golden State, 26.1 yrs., $6.8M)

(Note that some of the above might be gettable at the full BAE.)

POTENTIAL BAE OR VET MINIMUM FREE AGENT BIGS

Andre Drummond (Brooklyn, 28.6 yrs., $2.4M)
Tony Bradley (Bulls, 24.2 yrs., $1.9M)
Hartenstein (Clippers, 23.8 yrs., $1.7M)
Damian Jones (Kings, 26.7 yrs., $1.1M)
Gorgui Dieng (Hawks, 32.1 yrs., $4.0M)
Robin Lopez (Orlando, 33.9 yrs., $5.0M)
Moses Brown (Dallas/Cavs, 22.5 yrs., $1.6M)

[FNG]

It's a good list, Lip. and we may very well go in that direction. But let's not forget we have several draft picks that can be used to meet our "big man" need. My personal favorite of course is Kentucky's Oscar Tshiebwe. He's averaging 17-15 this season against tough competition, and has shown signs recently of becoming an elite shot blocker...almost 3 blocks per game in his last 6 games. 7'4.25" wingspan, 9'1" standing reach, and athletic. He was largely overlooked a few months ago in the mock drafts, but has started to soar in the mocks I follow. While I was hoping he might be available with one of our seconds, it now looks like he will be a first rounder. It seems to me he would be a better option to solve our defensive rebounding woes than most of the available free agent bigs...I don't know that any of them averaged 15 RPG in college.

[Lipoli390]

FNG - The draft might the best avenue for adding a big to the roster, but anyone we draft will probably be less ready to contribute that many of the available free agents. I like Oscar, but I agree that we'd have to get him in the first found. But I wouldn't expect him to provide any rim protection. He's not much of a shot-blocker in college and his 9'1" standing reach doesn't translate into rim protection at the NBA level. Nevertheless, he's a rebounding force and that's what the Wolves need more than anything. So I'd definitely him on my list of draft prospects the Wolves should consider.

The following is a really good article on prospective rim protectors who will probably be in this year's draft. A lot of them will be available to take with one of our three 1st-round picks and still others might go undrafted.

https://www.thestepien.com/2021/12/29/a-taxonomy-of-rim-protectors/

[kekgeek]

I think the caliber of big the Wolves should go for in the offseason matters what they think of Naz long term.

If they want Naz long term then they should be looking at guys like Hartenstien or lopez. If they don't want Naz long term they should be looking at the draft or a guy like Bamba or Looney

[Q-is-here]

It's a good list, Lip. and we may very well go in that direction. But let's not forget we have several draft picks that can be used to meet our "big man" need. My personal favorite of course is Kentucky's Oscar Tshiebwe. He's averaging 17-15 this season against tough competition, and has shown signs recently of becoming an elite shot blocker...almost 3 blocks per game in his last 6 games. 7'4.25" wingspan, 9'1" standing reach, and athletic. He was largely overlooked a few months ago in the mock drafts, but has started to soar in the mocks I follow. While I was hoping he might be available with one of our seconds, it now looks like he will be a first rounder. It seems to me he would be a better option to solve our defensive rebounding woes than most of the available free agent bigs...I don't know that any of them averaged 15 RPG in college.

Rookie bigs almost always struggle defensively though (I get that Mobley is an exception). It is going to take time and reps for him to learn the nuances of playing defense at the NBA level. I'm not saying we shouldn't draft him if he's one of the better players available when we pick, but given the trajectory of our franchise, we can't rely on a rookie big to solve one of our biggest gaping holes in the near term. You think he's going to give Jokic, JoVal, or Embiid much of a fight with the refs giving those guys every benefit of the doubt? No chance.

[Q-is-here]

I think the caliber of big the Wolves should go for in the offseason matters what they think of Naz long term.

If they want Naz long term then they should be looking at guys like Hartenstien or lopez. If they don't want Naz long term they should be looking at the draft or a guy like Bamba or Looney

I'm not sure it does matter. Vando may be the guy that gets displaced from the starting lineup and pairs up with Reid off the bench. If we are able to get a starting or semi-starting caliber big, there is a domino effect that makes our entire rotation bigger overall.

C/PF - Unknown big
C/PF - KAT
SF - McDaniels
SG - Edwards
PG - DLO

C/PF - Reid
C/PF - Vando
SF - Prince
SG - Nowell
PG - Beverley

[Lipoli390]

I think the caliber of big the Wolves should go for in the offseason matters what they think of Naz long term.

If they want Naz long term then they should be looking at guys like Hartenstien or lopez. If they don't want Naz long term they should be looking at the draft or a guy like Bamba or Looney

I'm not sure it does matter. Vando may be the guy that gets displaced from the starting lineup and pairs up with Reid off the bench. If we are able to get a starting or semi-starting caliber big, there is a domino effect that makes our entire rotation bigger overall.

C/PF - Unknown big
C/PF - KAT
SF - McDaniels
SG - Edwards
PG - DLO

C/PF - Reid
C/PF - Vando
SF - Prince
SG - Nowell
PG - Beverley

That's how I see it, Q. I'll add that Vando is more of a PF/SF than a PF/C. If a player's position is defined primarily by who he can defend, then he's primarily a SF. His ball-handling, passing, speed and quickness are what you'd expect in a SF. If you look back at draft analysis of him coming out of college, he was viewed by many as a future NBA SF. His complete lack of perimeter shooting is what ultimately casts him as a PF. I love his game - his hustle, disruptive defense and rebounding. But we need someone with more size up front next to KAT in our starting lineup. If we can get a starting big with size then, like you, I see Vando coming off the bench although still part of the rotation. I don't think he'd take away minutes from Naz. I see the two as complementary rotation players off the bench with Naz at C and Vanderbilt at PF. Ultimately, I see McDaniels as our starting SF with Edwards at SG and Russell at PG with someone like Nurkic at C next to KAT. Our main rotation players off the bench would be Beverley, Beasley, Nowell, Naz and Vando.

[Monster]

I think the caliber of big the Wolves should go for in the offseason matters what they think of Naz long term.

If they want Naz long term then they should be looking at guys like Hartenstien or lopez. If they don't want Naz long term they should be looking at the draft or a guy like Bamba or Looney

I'm not sure it does matter. Vando may be the guy that gets displaced from the starting lineup and pairs up with Reid off the bench. If we are able to get a starting or semi-starting caliber big, there is a domino effect that makes our entire rotation bigger overall.

C/PF - Unknown big
C/PF - KAT
SF - McDaniels
SG - Edwards
PG - DLO

C/PF - Reid
C/PF - Vando
SF - Prince
SG - Nowell
PG - Beverley

That's how I see it, Q. I'll add that Vando is more of a PF/SF than a PF/C. If a player's position is defined primarily by who he can defend, then he's primarily a SF. His ball-handling, passing, speed and quickness are what you'd expect in a SF. If you look back at draft analysis of him coming out of college, he was viewed by many as a future NBA SF. His complete lack of perimeter shooting is what ultimately casts him as a PF. I love his game - his hustle, disruptive defense and rebounding. But we need someone with more size up front next to KAT in our starting lineup. If we can get a starting big with size then, like you, I see Vando coming off the bench although still part of the rotation. I don't think he'd take away minutes from Naz. I see the two as complementary rotation players off the bench with Naz at C and Vanderbilt at PF. Ultimately, I see McDaniels as our starting SF with Edwards at SG and Russell at PG with someone like Nurkic at C next to KAT. Our main rotation players off the bench would be Beverley, Beasley, Nowell, Naz and Vando.

I think someday Vanderbilt could play legit minutes as a backup C but yeah right now he isn't there and I agree with you is is more of a combo forward although he is a really big version of that with the offensive game of a center. It's easy to forget sometimes that he is basically in his 2nd year of actually playing Legit NBA minutes (or much high level basketball at all) and is still pretty young for a big turning 23 in a few weeks. I also think with his injury history and how playing big minutes is new to him and his body it might be good to keep his minutes down the next year or 2 meaning he comes of the bench or maybe he continues to start (maybe depending on matchups) but the other guy gets something close to starter minutes. I actually think the way the Wolves end up displacing Vanderbilt from the starting lineup is kinda more likely to be via trade than FA. I think the FAs that are that good are gonna cost more than the mid-level. We will see when that time comes.

What is nice about this offseason is I don't feel like the Wolves have some hard to fill holes. It would be great to add another legitimately impactful player to add to this group but it doesn't have to happen. They absolutely need a bigger player in the frontcourt but that could be filled with the vet min so it's not that tough. In addition they have draft picks that can add to the group and or be part of the assets in a trade to bring a player here. I guess what ai am saying is I think that the improvements the Wolves need to make this offseason are reasonable to attain. I'm not absolutely confident they will add that sort of core impact player this offseason that help in the next season but I feel like they will add a pretty good rotation player in FA with the midlevel. That could be a big boast along with adding a solid true big.

[Lipoli390]

All good points, Monster. I agree the Wolves can shore up their roster adequately through free agency with a combination of the MLE and vet minimum. But as much as I like Vanderbilt, I'd like to see the Wolves upgrade to a bigger alternative in the starting lineup next to KAT. Bigger isn't necessarily better than Vanderbilt. I think Nurkic would be the sort of upgrade I'm thinking of and I suspect he'll be gettable with the MLE. Having said that, I'm concerned about his ability to stay healthy. If not Nurkic, I think the Wolves would have to depend on a trade to upgrade that position - perhaps a sign-and-trade for Mitchell Robinson. That sort of deal would probably have to include Beasley and a future pick or two. Again, I don't think it's essential to replace Vanderbilt in the starting lineup. In fact, there are arguments to keep him Vando in the starting lineup and simply add another rotation big to come off the bench - a rebounder/defender with size and strength to complement Naz Reid's more offensive-oriented game and finesse approach.

[Monster]

All good points, Monster. I agree the Wolves can shore up their roster adequately through free agency with a combination of the MLE and vet minimum. But as much as I like Vanderbilt, I'd like to see the Wolves upgrade to a bigger alternative in the starting lineup next to KAT. Bigger isn't necessarily better than Vanderbilt. I think Nurkic would be the sort of upgrade I'm thinking of and I suspect he'll be gettable with the MLE. Having said that, I'm concerned about his ability to stay healthy. If not Nurkic, I think the Wolves would have to depend on a trade to upgrade that position - perhaps a sign-and-trade for Mitchell Robinson. That sort of deal would probably have to include Beasley and a future pick or two. Again, I don't think it's essential to replace Vanderbilt in the starting lineup. In fact, there are arguments to keep him Vando in the starting lineup and simply add another rotation big to come off the bench - a rebounder/defender with size and strength to complement Naz Reid's more offensive-oriented game and finesse approach.

Would you agree it's more about Towns not being big enough at center at times than it is Vanderbilt? There are games where they are probably bigger than the competition but then there are games neither of them are a match for the C that starts. I Think it would be nice to get another SF/combo forward that can play rotation minutes. Just looking quick at the FA list there isn't exactly a bunch of those guys available. That makes me want to keep Prince even more. It would be nice if Bolmaro made progress to be a rotation option. I wouldn't bet on it now since our expectations of where this team is going is raised but it's possible. It's always nice to have some young guys with potential that COULD possibly help in an area.