Minnesota Timberwolves: How a good offseason could have been great

6 of 6

SALT LAKE CITY, UT – OCTOBER 28: George Hill #3 of the Utah Jazz controls the ball during their game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Vivint Smart Home Arena on October 28, 2016 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr/Getty Images) /

Overall Team

The Timberwolves, as currently constituted, added a number of talented players this offseason. In total they added around $37 million in salary to add Teague, Gibson, Crawford and Patton. Barring moves on the margins to fill out the roster they will trot out the following rotation:

PG: Jeff Teague
SG: Andrew Wiggins
SF: Jimmy Butler
PF: Taj Gibson
C: Karl-Anthony Towns
Bench: Tyus Jones, Jamal Crawford, Gorgui Dieng, Cole Aldrich, Justin Patton
Team Salary: $100.8 million

If the Timberwolves had instead used their assets this offseason to best maximize their roster construction, they could have added around $33 million in salary, leaving room to add a combo guard for ~$4 million to fill the Crawford role and create the following rotation:

PG: George Hill
SG: Andrew Wiggins
SF: Jimmy Butler
PF: Patrick Patterson
C: Karl-Anthony Towns
Bench: Tyus Jones, Ian Clark, C.J. Miles, John Collins, Gorgui Dieng, Cole Aldrich
Team Salary: $100.8 million

This team offers more shooting around the team’s stars by inserting proven two-way players, and gives the versatility to play small with Butler at the 4 by adding Miles off the bench. Clark can provide a similar impact as Crawford without needing the ball in his hands, and rookie John Collins can grow into a double-double machine at power forward.

Next: 2017 NBA free agency tracker - Grades for every deal so far

This team isn’t perfect, but it makes use of its resources to put together the best possible team. That’s what every front office should aim to do every offseason, and it’s how the Minnesota Timberwolves could have turned a good offseason into a great one.

Home/Minnesota Timberwolves