Minnesota Sports Forum

So take it for what it's worth. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UA9s8n3WGEo&t=932s)

- TP may be traded or waived by the end of the day tomorrow so the Wolves have money to work with in free agency.
- The Wolves want to be active when free agency opens. Two names he mentioned (both of whom I eyed because I knew they would decline their player option) are Bruce Brown and Donte DiVincenzo.
- The Wolves have had conversations with Washington on Monte Morris. TP would be involved, but they want additional draft compensation.

And I will add this: I approve of signing either Bruce or Donte. I also approve a trade for Monte Morris by throwing in 1 or 2 second rounders, or even including Moore.

Yeah, you don't need to be Doogie or connected to anyone in the front office to figure out that Monte Morris would be a potential target for the Wolves.

Prince unfollowed the Wolves on social media a few hours ago

Side note I really hope it's some kind of bot or app that catches that kinda stuff and not some basement dweller stalking online lol

BloopOracle wrote: ↑Tue Jun 27, 2023 3:52 pm Prince unfollowed the Wolves on social media a few hours ago

Side note I really hope it's some kind of bot or app that catches that kinda stuff and not some basement dweller stalking online lol

Or someone making it up! Maybe he wasn't following them in the first place? Or maybe he is still following them and it was a lie?

But I imagine it is true, and that TC has talked to Prince to let him know his status.

Somebody on NBA radio said today he had heard the wolves were actively pursuing Brown. I think I’d like that. And good for Doogie if he was first in town to have this

FNG wrote: ↑Tue Jun 27, 2023 4:35 pm Somebody on NBA radio said today he had heard the wolves were actively pursuing Brown. I think I’d like that. And good for Doogie if he was first in town to have this

Assuming we'd have no reason to re-sign NAW if we got a guy like Brown, right? Feels like Brown is a better, more proven version of NAW.

Q-is-here wrote: ↑Tue Jun 27, 2023 4:41 pm

FNG wrote: ↑Tue Jun 27, 2023 4:35 pm Somebody on NBA radio said today he had heard the wolves were actively pursuing Brown. I think I’d like that. And good for Doogie if he was first in town to have this

Assuming we'd have no reason to re-sign NAW if we got a guy like Brown, right? Feels like Brown is a better, more proven version of NAW.

Yeah, I think that topic briefly came up. The QO is 7 mil for NAW, so their is a risk he would just take it and run.

Sure sounds like no QO for NAW and TP is waived. That gives the Wolves over 15 mil under the luxury tax. They still have to sign Miller and/or Clark, and they can always waive Nate and/or Jmac for a few more $s.

60WinTim wrote: ↑Tue Jun 27, 2023 4:50 pm

Q-is-here wrote: ↑Tue Jun 27, 2023 4:41 pm

FNG wrote: ↑Tue Jun 27, 2023 4:35 pm Somebody on NBA radio said today he had heard the wolves were actively pursuing Brown. I think I’d like that. And good for Doogie if he was first in town to have this

Assuming we'd have no reason to re-sign NAW if we got a guy like Brown, right? Feels like Brown is a better, more proven version of NAW.

Yeah, I think that topic briefly came up. The QO is 7 mil for NAW, so their is a risk he would just take it and run.

Sure sounds like no QO for NAW and TP is waived. That gives the Wolves over 15 mil under the luxury tax. They still have to sign Miller and/or Clark, and they can always waive Nate and/or Jmac for a few more $s.

Something to consider is NAW is a much higher volume 3 point shooter than Brown although the worry about NAW is what percentage he would shoot from 3. Brown would be a heck of a get because he could provide depth at 1-3 while being a guy that can legitimately help you as a PG. imagine having Anderson and Brown off the bench that would be a couple high level players. With Prince gone NAW could still have a regular role as backup 1-3 guy too. I think there is room and even and advantage to having both NAW and Brown. The Wolves might decide they could get someone they like better than NAW like they might be doing with Prince.

When I thought it didn’t make sense to let Prince go I admit I didn’t think much about letting him go might allow them in one way or another sign a better player. Brown would be that better player. I wonder how high in terms of salary teams are gonna be willing to go for him. I had assumed he would be looking at offers somewhere around the mid-level which is almost double what he opted out of plus it would likely be a multi year guaranteed deal.

If the Wolves don’t keep NAW something to consider is the smaller trade exceptions they have. Maybe they make a move for a guy in a deal that’s a little more than the vet min. No idea who that would be. Maybe they even get a 2nd for taking that player on.

Sounds like Prince will either be traded or waived. Either can make sense depending on who replaces Prince on the roster and at what cost.

If the Wolves keep Prince at his $7.45M salary, they will be around $7M under the luxury tax threshold with 13 roster spots filled after signing Miller at $1.8M and Clark at the rookie minimum $1.2M. That’s enough to re-sign NAW at around $5M (which I consider the very top of his market value) and still have $2M left under the tax line to sign a minimum salary vet to fill the 15th roster spot if they choose. If the Wolves waive Prince, they’ll be around $14.5M under the luxury tax threshold with 12 roster spots filled. That’s enough to offer the full MLE to a free agent and still have just enough room to sign a minimum salary vet to the 14th roster spot.

I have no interest in seeing the Wolves sign DiVincenzo, but I’m convinced the Wolves could sign him by simply reallocating Taurean’s $7.45M, which would leave the Wolves $5-7M in room under the tax threshold to re-sign NAZ. So I don’t see signing DiVencenzo (or a lot of other potential free agents) and re-signing NAW as mutually exclusive. This Wolves probably can do both. But I’d like to see the Wolves get Bruce Brown and he’ll likely cost more than Taurean’s reallocated $7.45M salary. The question in my mind is whether the Wolves could sign Bruce Brown for around $9M. If so, they might also be able to also re-sign NAW at around $5M. Again, I just don’t see NAW getting offers for more than $5M.

One caution that I’m sure the Wolves are taking into account. Signing Bruce Brown or any free agent using the MLE will invariably involve a multi-year contract, which will further diminish the flexibility needed to stay under the second apron after next season. Taurean’s expiring contract the end of next season was a source of flexibility that will be lost if replaced by a multi-year deal that starts at his salary or higher. Therefore, I’m not sure it would be prudent to sign a free agent to replace Prince if we’re talking a salary north of $10M. The Wolves don’t want to be in a situation next summer where they have to give up cheap assets (future picks or young high upside talent like Miller or Minott) to get rid of salary.

Bruce Brown would probably be worth the risk. But there aren’t many free agents out there I’d take over Prince on a one-year deal.

I think Bruce Brown over NAW signing and a move to trade for an actual potential successor at pg would be a huge mistake.

1) Brown thrived in Denver because his best ability on offense is to cut. Jokic and the rest of that roster fit him perfect. The Wolves are not that offensive team for him with Rudy on the roster.

2) I don't believe he is worth the talks of up to 15 mil per.

With Jokic and without Jokic: http://www.pbpstats.com/on-off/nba/play ... rId=203999