Utah Jazz: Could standing pat be the best path forward?

Minnesota Timberwolves

Minnesota is a young, talented team with a strong veteran leader and a good coach. So what’s the problem, right? The T-Wolves’ issues can basically all be traced back to defense. Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns profile as elite defenders and KAT at least puts up gaudy statistics, but for whatever reason it just doesn’t come together on the court like you’d think.

Importing Tom Thibodeau and, later, Jimmy Butler from Chicago hasn’t been the quick fix they were hoping for, and it’s getting closer to decision-making time on this core. Wiggins is already locked up on a big extension, which isn’t looking good so far, and Towns is due his max deal in 2019.

Butler and Jeff Teague both have player options for 2019 as well, and assuming both are still around at that point this could really put Minnesota in a bind. There’s no way Minnesota can afford to pay all of these guys top dollar, and this is without mentioning Gorgui Dieng’s eight-figure cap hit.

Teague has emerged as the most likely candidate to be moved, but he also provides less cap relief than Wiggins or Dieng would. It’s also fair to wonder what the market for either Wiggins or Dieng would be at this point, but it’s not hard to see a team talking themselves into Wiggins.

It will almost certainly take a future asset (read: first-round pick) to get someone to take Dieng, could the same go for Wiggins in a tight market? If Wiggins can’t improve into the elite two-way player his contract implies he is Minnesota is going to have some very difficult decisions on their hands.