MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – APRIL 06: D’Angelo Russell #1 of the Brooklyn Nets reacts in the second half against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum on April 06, 2019 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
The Minnesota Timberwolves feel they have a path to acquiring D’Angelo Russell but it will not be by shedding Andrew Wiggins and his contract.
Despite being unable to be major players in free agency, at least without offloading some serious salary in trades, the Minnesota Timberwolves feel they have a pathway to getting restricted free agent D’Angelo Russell.
The most logical pathway to the Timberwolves getting Russell is a sign-and-trade, with them sending a big salary (Jeff Teague, Andrew Wiggins) back to Brooklyn in the deal. But the Nets are expected to be significant players for Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and others in free agency. So tying up a big chunk of salary on someone else at this point, beyond an agreement (unofficially at this point of course) to retain Russell, is probably not in their plan.
But in the Timberwolves case, you don’t know unless you ask. According to Darren Wolfson of SKOR North and 5 Eyewitness News, Minnesota offered Wiggins for Russell.
I am told there was some dialogue with Brooklyn to see if the Nets would have some interest in a sign-and-trade, Wiggins for D’Angelo Russell. I don’t sense those talks got even a smidge off the ground. I mean, the Nets are not taking on that contract.
Wiggins has four years and over $122.2 million left on his ill-advised max contract, which Timberwolves’ owner Glen Taylor gave the green light to based on a promise from the 2014 No. 1 overall pick that he’d try harder. Safe to say that won’t work out, and new president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas would love to find a way to shed the player and the contract.
The Timberwolves’ path to getting Russell was never going to be through dumping Wiggins on the Nets in a one-for-one sign-and-trade. So if that was the only plan, and there’s no move coming to clear out salary in order tender an offer sheet, the already flimsy rumors attaching Russell to Minnesota should be put to rest.