The Minnesota Timberwolves crossed off a big item on their offseason to-do list when they agreed to acquire LaMelo Ball in a trade with the Charlotte Hornets last week. But Tim Connelly’s work as president of basketball operations isn’t done, as the Wolves have another hole to fill at power forward.
The Timberwolves created that hole when they traded Julius Randle to the Brooklyn Nets and seemed to have a solution by elevating Naz Reid to the starting lineup. After sending Reid to Charlotte in the trade to acquire Ball, the Wolves are likely looking for a power forward when free agency begins.
Currently, Jaden McDaniels is primed to start at power forward, which is fine, but they need some more natural power forwards off the bench.
With a lack of tradeable assets and high payroll, this seems like a tall task. But Connelly’s history of working in the margins could bring good things and a solution to the Wolves’ new hole at power forward.
Timberwolves’ frontcourt issues could be saved by Tim Connelly’s bargain hunting
Working under restraints is nothing new for Connelly, as he cut his teeth under stingy ownership with the Denver Nuggets. One of his first moves as general manager in Denver was to sign center Timofey Mozgov to a three-year, $14 million contract in 2013, and while it was criticized at the time, Mozgov played well enough to become an asset that fetched a pair of first-round picks from the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2014-15 season.
This was just the start of Connelly’s bargain shopping. Will Barton and Torrey Craig were free agent contracts that turned out to have big roles for the Nuggets in future years, and it was part of the reason why his reputation grew as one of the top executives in the NBA.
It may be hard to see where Connelly has succeeded in the same margins as when he moved to Minnesota, but there are a few examples.
Getting Nickeil Alexander-Walker as a throw-in to the D’Angelo Russell trade was a shrewd move, but it was even better as he signed him to a two-year, $9 million contract during the 2023 offseason.
Alexander-Walker quickly became a 3-and-D threat off the bench and was a key part of the Wolves’ run to the Western Conference Finals during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons before leaving for the Atlanta Hawks in free agency last summer -- but NAW isn't the only example Wolves fans can lean on.
Kyle Anderson and Bones Hyland are some of the notable free agent pickups who have helped the Wolves solve needs at a low price point in recent seasons, and it complemented some of his other moves, such as signing Reid (three years, $42 million) and Mike Conley (two years, $21 million) to contract extensions that both players would outperform.
There have been missteps along the way, but that’s a solid track record that Connelly can lean on to fix the power forward problem.
Sandro Mamukelashvili of the Toronto Raptors could be at the top of the list as a player who could be had for a reasonable salary. But a report from The Stein Line believes some late steam could push him out of the Wolves’ price range.
Dean Wade of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Marvin Bagley III of the Dallas Mavericks, or Kenrich Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder could also be targets.
Those aren’t names that were on the Timberwolves’ wish lists at the beginning of the offseason, but it’s enough to provide the immediate help and depth that they need. Whoever the Wolves sign, Connelly has shown a tendency to identify contributors in the past and could do the same again to fill the void at power forward.
