2017 NBA free agency tracker: Grades for every deal so far
Shabazz Muhammad: 1 year, $1.6 million (Minnesota Timberwolves)
Source: @ShabazzMuhammad will sign for vet. minimum of $1.6M, and his Bird Rights restore with Minnesota next summer for longer term deal.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 12, 2017
It’s been a busy, successful offseason for the Minnesota Timberwolves, from trading for Jimmy Butler to shoring up the bench with veteran additions. Retaining Shabazz Muhammad on a veteran minimum deal is just the cherry on top to ensuring the T-Wolves return to the playoffs for the first time since 2004.
Muhammad didn’t exactly make the leap in 2016-17, but he still turned in a good season off the pine, averaging 9.9 points in 19.4 minutes per game on 48.2 percent shooting from the field. When his cap hold was renounced by the Wolves, he turned down slightly more lucrative contracts to return to a playoff-bound team, which makes sense for both parties.
Muhammad gets the short end of the stick with a minimum deal, but this gives the 24-year-old another opportunity to prove his worth and possibly put himself in position for a long-term deal. With Jamal Crawford getting older and less efficient by the day, this is yet another solid move to make sure this bench packs a scoring punch.
Bourguet Grade: A-