After trading Julius Randle and Naz Reid, the Minnesota Timberwolves have a glaring hole at their power forward position. While the possibility of a trade can't be ruled out entirely, it seems more likely that the Wolves fill this need by bargain shopping in free agency.
Finding an ideal target for the Wolves is tough, but the Oklahoma City Thunder might have just helped them out by declining Kenrich Williams' $7.2 million team option.
For OKC, this move makes sense given their cap situation, and Williams wasn't an indispensable part of their team. Nevertheless, letting Williams enter free agency could ironically help the Timberwolves solve what remains their biggest need.
Having one of their biggest rivals upgrade their most pressing need surely wasn't the Thunder's plan by declining Williams' team option, but luckily for the Wolves, that could be the end result.
Why Kenrich Williams would be a good fit with the Timberwolves
Despite the Thunder's elite depth, Williams has managed to retain a spot-rotational role over the past few seasons. Williams averaged 15.3 minutes, 6.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists on 47.3/38.8/63.5 shooting splits this past season.
As a low-usage power forward who can space the floor, rebound, hustle and defend, Williams checks a lot of boxes for what the Wolves should be looking for at the forward position. And, crucially, he projects to be affordable.
Unless the Wolves make an unexpectedly big move for someone like P.J. Washington, I envision Jaden McDaniels starting at the power forward position. Despite his thin frame, I feel good about this proposition since McDaniels is a fantastic off-ball roamer and secondary rim protector.
However, the Wolves sorely need some power forward depth. Floor spacing is an essential skill for any power forward the Wolves add, given the lack of shooting from Rudy Gobert and Joan Beringer -- Williams can provide this skill. Furthermore, Williams' defense, toughness and connectivity are all things Minnesota could use from a forward off the bench.
Listen, he's not a big name, but Williams has proven that he could be a legitimate contributor to winning basketball and that's all the Wolves need off their bench.
With players like Sandro Mamukelashvili and Dean Wade seemingly outside of the Wolves' price range and a trade being complicated, Williams could be their best option to fill their glaring need for a power forward. At the very least, Williams is an interesting name for Wolves fans to watch ahead of Wednesday's free agency.
And if the Timberwolves do sign Williams, it would ironically be thanks to one of their biggest rivals -- how poetic.
