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With the opening of the free agent market imminent, the Timberwolves bid farewell to veteran forward Taurean Prince. Or is it?
The Wolves waived Prince on Wednesday to avoid guaranteeing his $7.4 million salary for next season. However, league sources told The Athletic that the team remains open to the idea of bringing Prince back depending on how the market develops when play opens on Friday. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity as the Timberwolves have not publicly commented on their plans for a free hand.
When the opening bell rings on Friday night, anything can happen. And during the move may have felt personal to Prince, a proud veteran who helped Minnesota to back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time since 2004, it was all business for the Timberwolves, a team trying to gain as much flexibility as possible to complement its roster. Wolves know they have more steps to take to compete in the Western Conference and choosing Prince should give them as much freedom as possible to get there.
Improving outside shooting and adding another point guard are two of the team’s biggest goals on the road to freehand, and there are several candidates on the market that could fill those needs. Theoretically, Prince could still be a part of it.
Prince has played an important role at Wolves over the last two seasons, scoring three points when the ball reached him, making coach Chris Finch a versatile defender who could cover multiple positions and establishing himself as one of the experienced voices room established by the team in the locker. He averaged 9.1 points, 2.4 rebounds and averaged 38 percent from 3 rebounds last season. He only played 54 games, largely due to a shoulder injury, and when he was out he was sorely missed. The Wolves went 7-13 in a 20-game streak that he missed from late November through mid-December.
The agreement was mutually beneficial. When Prince was acquired in a trade for Cleveland’s Ricky Rubio in 2021, he was coming off an injury-plagued season that made the deal seem like nothing more than a cost-saving move for the Wolves. After shooting poorly early in his freshman season in Minnesota, he found his rhythm in the second half and displayed the rush, efficiency and disruption that teams crave.
He had some big moments in his sophomore season, including an 8-8, 3-point victory at Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks in March.
But the Wolves are currently grappling with complex financial issues. Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert have maximum contracts. Anthony Edwards will get one as soon as the market opens. Jaden McDaniels also deserves a hefty raise. And Wolves just signed Naz Reid on a solid three-year, $42 million deal to become the third-biggest player.
That leaves basketball division president Tim Connelly with the task of getting creative to continue working on a roster that won 42 games last season while also dealing with significant injuries to Towns, Prince, Reid and McDaniels has to fight. In a vacuum, paying a good shooter like Prince $7.4 million next season is reasonable. But the wolves don’t operate in a vacuum. You work in a pressure cooker.
While exploring other ways of using Prince’s contract to negotiate a deal before it was guaranteed, Wolves were unable to find a viable deal before Wednesday’s deadline. One of the teams the Wolves have had multiple talks with, according to sources on both sides, was the Washington Wizards. Monte Morris, who played for Connelly at the Denver Nuggets, and Delon Wright were among the players talked about, but there was never any real negotiation of a deal.
By forgoing Prince, Wolves are $15.5 million under the luxury tax and have four roster spots to fill. They could claim the full non-taxable middle-class player exemption next season, valued at $12.4 million, which puts them on par with much of the league in terms of spending power.
If no team claims Prince for waivers, he becomes a free agent. Depending on how things play out, the Timberwolves could be ready to re-sign him for a little less money. It remains unclear if Prince would be open to that as well. Such transactions can often be difficult for the player to endure. It’s one thing to take a pay cut to play elsewhere, but it’s rarer to do so to stay.
Prince might have several open market applicants, but he also has strong relationships with many of his Timberwolves teammates and is involved in community work in the Twin Cities. It might be some time before the wolves take a look around at what’s out there.
Biggest Priorities
- Anthony Edwards: After two strong performances in the playoffs, Edwards has established himself as a rising star and the heart of the Wolves of the future. He recently announced that he will now be represented by WME Sports and all indications point to a maximum contract extension very soon after the market opens. “I think whatever decision we make going forward, Ant will be at the forefront,” said Connelly at the end of the season.
- Jaden McDaniels: The small forward is also facing a rookie contract extension and expects to receive a significant offer. It’s not entirely clear what McDaniels are being offered. He’s one of the top two-way under-25s in the league, a notable defender with a growing offensive game. His name was a popular topic for other teams during the draft, but the Wolves declined trade offers because they see him as part of their future core. McDaniels is also represented by WME, who moved Suns center Deandre Ayton to limited free agency when the offer they received wasn’t what they envisioned. It will therefore be interesting to see how high the Wolves’ offer turns out to be. “I think once we can talk we’re going to be very aggressive,” Connelly said of both young players. “These guys are fantastic. I hang out with these guys, Jaden and Ant a lot, because I know they’re hanging by the waist and they’re going to be just as important to this team as anyone else of course.”
- Nickeil Alexander Walker: Some mistook him for a throw-in when Wolves traded D’Angelo Russell for Mike Conley in February. But NAW became an important part of the Timberwolves rotation, defending Jamal Murray and all the players in the playoffs. He can fill both guard positions, which gives Finch some flexibility in line-ups. If he can become a more consistent 3-pointer, he could be a real weapon on the bench. Wolves have not announced the exercise of Alexander-Walker’s qualifying offer. If they make use of it and NAW signs it, he would have more than $7 million at his disposal next season. But if they didn’t offer him, that wouldn’t cloud their desire to keep him. It would just be an attempt to keep the salary below this QO value in the first year. Alexander-Walker is a prime target for them.
External Targets
There are several interesting options in the open market for Wolves looking to hire a point guard to take some of the workload off Conley, who turns 36 before the season begins. In Prince, the Wolves could really use another 3-pointer at a team that was midfield on 3-point attempts (15th), marks (14th) and percent (13th) last season.
In random order and not comprehensive:
- Eric Gordon: It was announced late Wednesday night that the Los Angeles Clippers would be giving up Gordon to save money. He would be ideal as a substitute if he accepted the mid-level exception. Gordon shot 42 percent after coming to Los Angeles in a trade with Houston.
Probability of a deal: Slim. There should be a queue out front for his services. - Bruce Brown: What a playoff run against Denver for the hardened defender and timely scorer. Brown stepped out of Kevin Durant’s shadow in Brooklyn and was one of the main reasons the Nuggets won the title. He can play both guard positions and would help the Wolves in many areas. But every team in the league will be lining up to pay him.
Probability of a deal: don’t see it - Dennis Schroeder: The Wolves need a backup point guard, and Schroder filled that role with the Los Angeles Lakers last season. In the playoffs, he often outplayed D’Angelo Russell, earning him more minutes at key pitches. He is an aggressive defender and attacker with bite.
Probability of a deal: Doubtful, but never say never. - Jevon Carter: A tough, tough guard who silently scored 42 percent from 3-point results for the Milwaukee Bucks last season. Carter started 39 games for one of the best teams in the league. His lead and playoff experience would be of great benefit to this team.
Probability of a deal: That feels doable. Carter earned a modest $3.9 million last season and will likely be looking for a bigger raise than Milwaukee can give him. - Max Strauss: His shooting skills helped the Miami Heat make it to the NBA Finals by surprise. The Wolves expressed an interest in him at the close of trading last year. Strus is also a tough defender. Some of that Heat culture could be useful for this Timberwolves team.
Probability of a deal: Certainly possible, unless another team pulls him out with a huge offer. - Donte DiVincenzo: There’s a lot to like here. A good shooter (39.7 percent out of 3 for the Warriors last season) who can handle it, coming out in turns and defending a bit. Wolves were keen on him in the 2018 draft when he was three spots ahead of them and thought they were on the verge of a deal with him last summer before he opted for Golden State.
Probability of a deal: Certainly possible, but I don’t think it’s likely. - Troy Brown Jr.: At 6-6, 215 pounds, Brown has good wing size. He averaged 38 percent for the Lakers last season but played sparingly in the Western Conference Finals. I wouldn’t have to break the bank for him.
Probability of a deal: Might depend on how badly the Lakers want him back. - Josh Richardson: Has only played 24 games for New Orleans, but at his best he’s a solid wing defender and a solid three-game shooter. Does he still have that? It would come full circle because his name was involved in trade negotiations as Jimmy Butler organized his way out of town.
Probability of a deal: The market will likely be less competitive for him than it is for Brown or DiVincenzo, which would likely make a deal easier.
(Photo of the Bull Prince: C. Morgan Engel/Getty Images)