With three rotation gamers set to grow to be free brokers within the aftermath of one other Western Convention Finals loss, the Minnesota Timberwolves have some large selections to make. However the greatest issue of their signing selections is likely to be the folks signing the checks.
Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez have acquired full control of the Timberwolves, pending the switch course of and a vote by the NBA’s board of governors. They gained their arbitration dispute with present proprietor Glen Taylor, who has had management of the staff since 1994.
However when getting ready to take over the staff a yr in the past, earlier than Taylor tried to void the sale, Lore and Rodriguez reportedly submitted financial projections that indicated their plans for giant cuts to the Timberwolves’ payroll. Going into the 2024-25 season, they needed to scale back their whole wage to $171M and get underneath the luxury-tax line, whereas the staff as a substitute had the league’s second-highest payroll at almost $205M.
Their technique might have modified after Lore and Rodriguez introduced in additional buyers to bolster their bid. The possession group now consists of former New York Metropolis mayor Michael Bloomberg and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt. Maybe that may make the staff extra keen to keep up a excessive payroll, particularly having shed Karl-Anthony Cities’ four-year, $220M contract earlier than the season.
The staff has to determine what to do about free brokers Julius Randle, Naz Reid and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. It has the No. 21 and No. 31 picks on this June’s draft, although it has just one extra first-rounder within the six following drafts. As well as, staff president Tim Connelly can decide out of his personal contract.
It actually comes all the way down to the imaginative and prescient of the brand new possession group — and their willingness to pay the luxury-tax penalties it would take to maintain their staff collectively.
