Minnesota Timberwolves: 5 Bold Predictions After The All-Star Break
4. Shabazz Muhammad WILL Be Traded
The Shabazz Muhammad trade offers have been far more infrequent than the Ricky Rubio rumors. However, I do not believe that means that a trade is less likely to happen.
Shabazz will become a restricted free agent this summer. Given that Rubio still has two years and $29 million left on his contract after this season, Muhammad’s contract will make him the easier piece to move for Minnesota.
Muhammad has also struggled with his overall game as he has posted a Player Efficiency Rating of 14.37. That PER is just under the league average of 15 and also happens to be Muhammad’s lowest since his rookie year. Muhammad struggles on defense and is stuck as a “tweener,” meaning that he is not athletic enough to guard most small forwards in this league but not big or strong enough to guard power forwards.
Marc Stein of ESPN reported that the Washington Wizards are a potential landing spot for Shabazz, though their trade for Bojan Bogdanovic obviously complicates matters.
Washington has shown interest in Minnesota's Shabazz Muhammad, according to league sources, as the Wiz continue to search for bench upgrades
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 22, 2017
The Minnesota Timberwolves must decide if Shabazz Muhammad is part of their long-term plan. If the Timberwolves feel Shabazz can be a complementary player to their core of Wiggins and Towns, they will keep him at the deadline and re-sign him in the offseason.
If they do not feel he is part of their long-term plan they should move Muhammad and get something in return before they let him walk at the end of the season. My money is on the latter.