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Andrew Wiggins helped the Minnesota Timberwolves make the postseason for the first time since 2004 this year. Still, Wiggins said this wasn't his best season after the Rockets ended his team's brief playoff run in the first round. Wiggins said he did learn a lot, and next year will be better.
There were rumors about the Kansas product being unhappy with his current role in Minnesota. The 23-year-old averaged 17.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2 assists in the regular season.
Wiggins was one of the bright spots in the Timberwolves series versus the Houston Rockets too. How can the T-Wolves solve this situation?
Andrew Wiggins' 2017-18 season
Minnesota went from being one of the Western Conference's surprise teams to being the eighth seed in 2018. Along that ride, chatter about Andrew Wiggins' unhappiness with his current role surfaced.
Andrew Wiggins' size and length make him a desirable wing-player. However, the four-year, $146 million contract he inked this past October makes it hard to trade him.
Further, there is a great read from Dunking on Wolves that dives into Wiggins' efficiency by looking at analytics, including his value over a replacement player. Wiggins' efficiency is declining as he gets older and it is only going to get worse, they argue. Another article from CanishHoops dives into his poor advanced statistics, too, suggesting that he might not be the future of the franchise, as the T-Wolves hoped when they drafted him.
Of course, some of that inefficiency this past season is put on Jimmy Butler joining the team and playing a similar role as Wiggins. It could also fall on the coaching constructs of Tom Thibodeau. Thibodeau has a reputation for overworking his players, and The Ringer speculated that it happened in Minnesota this season.
Some of Wiggins' struggles could fall on him playing more forward than guard for the Timberwolves. Per Dunking on Wolves, Wiggins has averaged 18.4 PPG, 47.0 FG percentage, and 35.3 percent from three in 90 games at the guard. Meanwhile, Wiggins has averaged 16.9 PPG, 44.0 FG percentage, and 32.2 percent from three in 244 games at forward. His average points and field goal percentage are slightly below his career marks, too.
Andrew Wiggins looks like he doesn't want to be there and Thibs has no idea how to coach this team. What a mess.
— Mark Gunnels (@MarkAGunnels) April 6, 2018
Either way, Wiggins' recently signed extension gives him the Poison Pill Player designation which makes it even more difficult for him to get traded. There's at least an argument to be made that it is in Minnesota's best interests to trade Wiggins. That gets easier after the poison pill provision expires June 30.
It's honestly in the best interest for Minnesota and Andrew Wiggins to part ways. Wiggins and Butler just doesn't work. Not enough shooting and Wiggins has All-Star potential in a different situation (ala Oladipo). Thibs team is too slow. Wiggins needs to be in a faster system.
— Mark Gunnels (@MarkAGunnels) April 19, 2018
Wiggins denied reports that he wasn't satisfied with his role. He said it was all hearsay and nothing straight from him. Thibs also dispelled any rumors by attesting to Wiggins character.
Keeping Andrew Wiggins and Jimmy Butler together for another season makes sense, but here are some trade options they might consider this offseason and beyond. These might solve Wiggins' unhappiness, too.
Trade Jimmy Butler?
Trading Jimmy Butler is probably Minnesota's easiest and most immediate solution to helping Andrew Wiggins. Not only does Butler get you more than Wiggins on the trade block, but he's more tradeable since he doesn't have the poison pill designation and he makes less per year. Butler only has one more guaranteed year left on his contract and he is a few years older than Wiggins. Butler can become a free agent after making $20.45 million next season.
The team as a whole can benefit by not having to answer questions about Butler's potential free agency. Not to mention, Butler occupies much of the same floor space as Wiggins.
Minnesota might look for some added three-point shooting to balance out Wiggins' game. In that case, they might shop Butler for another shooting guard like Trail Blazers guard C.J. McCollum or Wizards guard Bradley Beal. Both All-Star players are stuck on teams that seem to have maximized their playoff success.
McCollum shoots 39 percent from three-point range and Beal shot 37 percent this past season, a couple of points higher than Butler. Both McCollum and Beal have also flashed potential to carry offenses as the primary scorer. The Blazers especially could use Butler's defense and consistency on the wings. It is not likely that either team would give up their two guards for Wiggins considering he isn't an effective three-point shooter, nor does he have the All-Star pedigree and defensive tenacity that Butler has.
Then again, it's unclear how McCollum or Beal would play with Wiggins, too. They also need the ball to be effective. It is at best a lateral move.
How about Kawhi Leonard? Leonard's struggles with the Spurs this past season are well-documented. Could Minnesota use that status to pounce on Leonard?
Both players are versatile wings who can opt out after this season. However, it's unlikely San Antonio would straight out swap Butler for Kawhi Leonard, who has been an MVP finalist and NBA Finals champion. The Timberwolves would probably need to throw in Oklahoma City's 1st round pick this year. Even then, Minnesota might need to add cash and future picks for San Antonio to consider this deal. The Spurs would also have to be convinced that Kawhi is done in San Antonio.
Otherwise, Minnesota could cash out Butler for some young talent. The Lakers have been trying to put together All-Stars and they were once rumored to want Butler. Perhaps, they would trade Brandan Ingram for Butler. Of course, the Lakers won't give up a young player without dumping Luol Deng's contract. Deng is a former Thibodeau player who might actually see some minutes in Minnesota.
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Ingram is developing into a nice wing player who shot 39 percent from three-point range last season. He might be a future All-Star, but that might not be enough value for Butler. Minnesota would need to command another young player like Kyle Kuzma or Josh Hart. The Lakers would probably only trade two young players if they knew they were going to sign one or two additional All-Stars in free agency.
Plus, would Tom Thibodeau trade Jimmy Butler after only a season? The two go back to Chicago, so Butler understands Thibs' system and mentality.
Realistically, no one is exactly jumping to take Gorgui Dieng or Taj Gibson with each making over $14 million per year. That makes Butler the Timberwolves' most valuable and flexible trade asset outside of Wiggins. Minnesota is probably still better off keeping Butler.
Trade Wiggins?
Theoretically, you could substitute Wiggins for Butler in any of those deals and they might get done. The Poison Pill designation made Wiggins' outgoing salary the $7.5 million he made last year plus the $148 million extension he signed in the summer, divided six. That gives him a $25 million outgoing salary, which is difficult to move. After June 30, it is easier to trade him as he will lose that designation.
A team might be willing to give up more developmental assets for Wiggins than Bulger since Wiggins is under contract for five years.
Although Wiggins is 23 and younger than Butler, he's still slated to make a few million more than Bulter next year. That means an aforementioned team might have to add additional salary to get the deal approved.
Not to mention, Wiggins doesn't have the All-Star, playoff, or No. 1 scoring pedigree as Butler, so his value is likely lower. Plus, is there a team willing to take on Wiggins' scoring inefficiencies?
Perhaps Denver is tempted to get a potential All-Star like Wiggins. They could send over Gary Harris, who is slated to make over $16 million next year. The Nuggets can add an expiring contract like Darrell Arthur or Wilson Chandler into the deal, assuming they both opt-in next year, to match Wiggins' salary. They could even add a prospect like Trey Lyle or Juan Hernangomez if the Timberwolves demanded it. Denver and Minnesota could swap bad contracts like Gieg or Gibson for slight upgrades in Mason Plumlee or Kenneth Faried if they really want to make a blockbuster.
Dallas could also make sense for Andrew Wiggins. The Mavericks could swap Harrison Barnes for Wiggins straight up. Barnes might not have the same value as Wiggins since he is a few years older, but he is more of a true forward. He can play the three and serve as a stretch four beside Karl Anthony-Town. Minnesota could still demand some more cash or draft assets in this potential deal.
Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
The Heat make sense for Wiggins, too. Adding him as the core of a young Miami team makes more sense than a veteran like Butler, who might bounce in a year.
Is some combination of Dion Waiters, Kelly Olynyk and James Johnson enough to get Wiggins? Maybe if you sprinkle in Tyler Johnson, Josh Richardson, or Justice Winslow, but even then the Heat would have to take some of Minnesota's bad deals with Wiggins.
Should Wiggins become available, the Knicks will probably call too. New York can offer a veteran big like Enes Kantar along with either Emmanuel Mudiay and Frank Ntilikina. That would give the Wolves some combo guard help and a scorer in the frontcourt, but that probably isn't enough to upgrade the roster.
Further, Charlotte and Orlando should have interest in Wiggins. They don't necessarily have the assets to get a deal done without the Timberwolves taking on bad contracts or a redundant player. Orlando can send a package around Terrance Ross, Nikola Vucevic ,and their upcoming draft pick. The Hornets could send Kemba Walker and/or one of their big contracts like Marvin Williams, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Nicolas Batum, or Cody Zeller with a first-round draft pick.
It is not often that you find a 23-year-old who was the No. 1 overall pick and Rookie of the Year on the trade block a season after signing a five-year extension. Minnesota will have plenty of options if they do want to trade Wiggins, especially because there are teams hungry for star power.
The Solution
Ultimately, the Timberwolves will have options if they do try to trade Andrew Wiggins or Jimmy Butler. Although they might bring back a number of veterans, prospects, and draft capital, Minnesota probably won't get better by trading either player.
Therefore, the Timberwolves are better off continuing to build around Wiggins and Karl Anthony-Towns. They're also better off hoping that Butler can continue to co-exist with that duo for a fringe super team that was the surprise of the first half of the season. Another offseason gives the trio a chance to build chemistry, and Thibs gets a chance to adjust after his young team's brief taste of the postseason.
Of course, the team's asention demands that Butler and Wiggins co-exist. To that point, Wiggins needs to develop his three-point range and his catch-and-shoot abilities. That is the way the NBA is going, and it would make Wiggins a much more effecient player alongside KAT and Butler. A postseason appearance and a big contract should motivate him to add range, as we have seen young players do before.
If Butler continues hampering Wiggins' development, then they should talk about trading one of them at the deadline. That might be necessary if the team struggles out the gate, especially with Butler's potential free agency.
Thibodeau probably won't last as head coach and president of basketball operations if his team underperforms next year. That makes it easier for the Wolves to reset heading into 2019-2020, sans Butler and Thibs.
Hence, the easiest way for the Timberwolves to figure out what to do with Butler and Wiggins is to give them another season together. They can reassess the situation at the trade deadline, or at least after the season. Despite all of the trade options they might have with the two stars, they're better off letting the two mesh together one more year. There is no way they get equal value for Wiggins' deal and Butler's potential free agency.
Further, would Wiggins really want out of Minnesota to go play on a lesser team? Is there a better fit for Butler than playing under Thibs? It's unlikely Butler would force his way out since he can just bounce after the year, anyway.
Unless a spectacular deal comes around that matches Butler's pedigree or Wiggins' youth, expect these two wing players to play together in Minnesota next year. It makes the most sense for Minnesota to give the duo another campaign to figure out how to play together.
