The Minnesota Timberwolves got a monumental win on Monday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder, vaulting them back to sole possession of the top spot in the Western Conference. With the Wolves looking like a true title contender, the idea of buying at the NBA trade deadline appears to be a good one. According to ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel, Atlanta Hawks veteran Bogdan Bogdanovic has emerged as a player being linked to the Timberwolves.
However, executing a deal at the trade deadline might be difficult for Minnesota due to a lack of flexibility. Let’s analyze Bogdanovic’s potential fit in Minnesota, as well as the Timberwolves’ pathway to a potential deal, in order to predict if a trade can actually come to fruition.
Bogdan Bogdanovic’s fit with the Timberwolves
In his age-31 season, the veteran guard would be a strong addition to an already fantastic Timberwolves roster. The Serbian has spent his NBA career with the Sacramento Kings and is currently the Atlanta Hawks. This season, Bogdanovic has averaged a career-high 17.1 points per game while shooting 43.0 percent from the field and 36.9 percent from three. It is apparent the Timberwolves could use more perimeter shooting. Given Bogdanovic's abilities to play off the ball in catch-and-shoot situations, he could be a great fit next to Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns, and the rest of this roster.
The veteran's quick trigger would do wonders in opening up more driving lanes for the Wolves’ stars, as Bogdanovic is averaging 8.4 attempts from the perimeter per game. As currently constructed, the Timberwolves shoot just 31.5 triples per game as a team. That ranks 27th in the league.
The Timberwolves' low-volume shooting from outside has led them to a fantastic 39.1 percent from three as a team, the second-best in the NBA. Nonetheless, the shots Minnesota winds up turning down is a bigger issue. Bogdanovic would likely solve a great deal of that with his willingness to let it fly from deep. Even though the Hawks’ veteran doesn’t play inside the arc a whole lot, he’s more than capable of doing so on occasion. Shooting exactly 52 percent on two-point attempts, his outside-inside game could be a perfect changeup for the Wolves’ current offensive attack.
Throughout his career, Bogdanovic has always been a reliable decision-maker. Due to this, not only would he benefit Minnesota’s mediocre scoring punch, but he would also help limit their turnovers. For his career, Bogdanovic has flashed a near 2.3 to 1 assist-to-turnover ratio. A constant problem for the Wolves all season would get some much-needed relief if Bogdanovic entered the fold.
Timberwolves' salary cap and trade flexibility
Based on Siegel's report, “Minnesota’s cap situation and Bogdanovic’s contract do not line up well.” The Serbian sharpshooter is making $18.7 million this season, and his contract descends in value the following two years before a team option comes into play for the 2026-27 NBA season. There is no question that this is a worthwhile contract. However, the Wolves face some tough circumstances.
The first year of Karl-Anthony Towns’ supermax extension kicks in next season. On top of that, Anthony Edwards’ rookie max extension significantly increases his annual pay as well. The extension Minnesota recently gave to Edwards also has the possibility of becoming a supermax extension depending on his All-NBA status this season. Not to mention, Jaden McDaniels' new rookie extension has the Timberwolves between a rock and a hard place.
The league's CBA is extremely punitive to teams with high payrolls. North of $170 million, Minnesota projects to be a high-paying team for the 2024-25 season with only eight guaranteed contracts.
The long-term money owed to Bogdanovic might be a hill too steep for the Wolves to climb financially. Additionally, the Timberwolves are already deficient in first-round draft picks. If Atlanta gets offers of at least one first-round selection for Bogdanovic’s services, Minnesota is likely going to be outbid. Following the Rudy Gobert trade, the Timberwolves' best deal sweeteners are first-round swaps in 2024, 2028, and 2030, second-round selections, and young unproven talents such as Wendell Moore Jr. and Josh Minott.
Predictions on a potential trade
If the Timberwolves find a way to acquire Bogdanovic from Atlanta, Kyle Anderson’s expiring $9.2 million salary would have to be attached. Anderson is a very good player and one Chris Finch would hate to lose. Slowmo, as his teammates and peers call him, has been a key piece for the Wolves. Anderson is also extremely undervalued across the fan base for his playmaking and defensive play.
To make the money work, Shake Milton and Troy Brown Jr. would both likely have to be included as well. Brown Jr. has not played as of late, but his shooting has been key for the Wolves at points this year.
From there, Atlanta would look to get a young player back as well. Leonard Miller has been fantastic for the Iowa Wolves this season and projects to be an extremely productive NBA player down the road. Josh Minott’s athleticism and length are great traits that his game is predicated on. Given the likely constructs of a deal, the Timberwolves are in a financial spot where trading four players, plus second-round picks, for one bigger contract is likely not the best pathway.
Already flirting with the luxury tax this season, having to replace players with current free agents and two-way players pushes the Wolves toward being even more expensive both this season and next. The most likely outcome for the Wolves is a smaller trade. A one-for-one or two-for-one deal that brings Minnesota a cheap role player back makes the most sense at this juncture.
Someone who can fill the role as the ninth player in the nightly rotation on a consistent basis is what the Timberwolves need. Bogdanovic would be an excellent get, but given the circumstances, it’s hard to see Minnesota making a dramatic move with expensive long-term ramifications.
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