Minnesota Timberwolves Connected to Veteran Sharpshooter in NBA Free Agency

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Minnesota Timberwolves
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY SportsCredit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Due to their cap constraints, the Minnesota Timberwolves are expected to remain mostly dormant in NBA free agency. Aside from re-signing their own players, the Timberwolves cannot afford to offer any outside free agents more than the veteran minimum (between $1.15M and $3.6M, depending on years played).

Now that free agents are officially allowed to begin negotiating (can’t sign yet), the Wolves are have been linked to one veteran sharpshooter who they’ve had interest in, in the past. Joe Ingles would replace a lot of what Kyle Anderson brought to Minnesota. He also has prior experience playing with both Rudy Gobert and Mike Conley.

Joe Ingles + Minnesota Timberwolves steam…?

On Saturday, before free agency opened, Timberwolves insider Dane Moore noted that fans should keep an eye on Joe Ingles, noting that Tim Connelly & Co. pursued the former Utah Jazz small forward last offseason, but that they were ultimately outbid by an offer from the Orlando Magic worth two-years, $22 million.

The Magic, however, held a team option on year two and exercised it recently, putting the 36-year-old vet back on into the free agency pool. Ingles is worth more than the vet minimum on the open market, so coming to Minnesota would have to include a paycut.

Since Moore’s tweet, there have been more rumblings on social media linking Ingles to the MN Timberwolves, but those reports are from mostly unknown, self-proclaimed insiders. On Monday, though, Jon Krawczynski (The Athletic) also linked Ingles to the Wolves

There is a lot of youth at the position. Even though Anderson was more of a power forward, he could handle the ball and move to the 3 if needed. Joe Ingles, a player who drew interest from the Wolves in the past, would bring a veteran presence and a shotmaker.

Jon Krawczynski – The Athletic

Now that Kyle Anderson is on his way out, Ingles makes a lot of sense in Minnesota. Connecting those dots is easy and Jon’s note all but confirms the Wolves’ interest. Will he play on a veteran minimum contract, in order to pursue an NBA title? That’s another question.

Related: Rudy Gobert-Mikal Bridges Trade Comparison: Who Overpaid?

As a 10-year NBA veteran who entered the league at 27, it’s clear that Ingles’ best days are behind him. But he still has one very distinct skill — He’s one of the league’s best perimeter shooters, with a career accuracy rate of 41%. It doesn’t matter how old or unathletic he is, that type of accuracy can help the Timberwolves off the bench.

With the Wolves expected to lose Kyle Anderson as he seeks bigger offers, pivoting to a player with eight years of experience playing alongside Gobert and three alongside Conley could be a fair compromise.

Barring injury, Ingles isn’t likely to be among the first seven or eight players in the rotation, but it never hurts to have a shooter capable of providing productive minutes when Chris Finch calls his number.

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