Minnesota Timberwolves: How a good offseason could have been great

Bench wing shooter

When veteran scorer Jamal Crawford agreed to a buyout with the Atlanta Hawks, it was assumed he would speak to the ring of contenders and sign on to bolster a bench. When he agreed to a two-year, $8.9 million with the Minnesota Timberwolves, it was a sign to the league that the Wolves were viewed as a legitimate postseason team.

In theory, Jamal Crawford fills a role on the team, providing a spark off the bench as a combo guard who can score and shoot from anywhere. But on a team already stocked with creators, Crawford’s ability to create instant offense becomes less valuable. Add in his middling ability to hit outside shots and complete lack of defensive ability, and the Crawford signing makes less and less sense.

What this team needed instead was a player who can legitimately space the floor without using up excessive possessions. If he could provide above average defense as well, he would be a perfect choice to step into an immediate bench role and secure a spot in small-ball closing lineups with Butler at the 3.

The player who fit that bill was not Jamal Crawford, but rather C.J. Miles. The former Indiana Pacer found the market for his services quite tepid, and ended up signing just a three-year, $25 million deal in a sign-and-trade with the Toronto Raptors.

Miles is long and tough on defense, able to move with faster players on the perimeter and game to defend larger forwards when needed as well. While Crawford shot just 36 percent from three-point range, Miles shot 41.3 percent from beyond the arc last year. With a much lower usage rate, Miles fits this roster better than Crawford, and would have been the best pick for Minnesota in free agency.