NBA Rumors: 2 Minnesota Timberwolves Not Expected Back Next Season

The Minnesota Timberwolves season ended in disappointment earlier this week, the union of big men Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns not quite working the way they'd hoped. 

Changes will be coming this offseason, both out of necessity, and due to free agency and cap concerns.

Here's a look at two players who quite likely will not be back with the T-Wolves next season. 

Naz Reid

The Timberwolves would tell you otherwise, that they'll do everything they can to re-sign him, but he might have a higher ceiling elsewhere. 

And make no mistake, this one would hurt. At the age of 23, Reid was having a breakout campaign for the Wolves. In December, he averaged 13.7 points, 7.3 boards and over a block per game, and with KAT out due to injury was showing himself to be an impact contributor up front until suffering a wrist injury that required surgery in early April. 

Per 36 minutes, his numbers averaged 22.5 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.5 blocks. In a six-game stretch in March, he averaged 18.1 points per game.

But now, entering free agency after a 4-year contract that paid him a total of $6M, Reid is in line for a huge raise in free agency. 

Minnesota has prioritized re-signing Reid, but the problem is, with Towns and Gobert around, it limits the amount of minutes he can expect. As Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams recently said, Reid is "probably a starter in this league on some teams, if not most." 

After Towns returned from injury, Reid did play in lineups that included Towns & Gobert, but only averaged 21 minutes a game at best during that stretch, 18.4 overall on the season. 

If Reid wants a starting job, he'll have plenty of offers from teams willing to give it to him. But if he prioritizes money, then the T-Wolves might have the upper hand, holding his Bird rights, and able to offer him more than most. 

Jaylen Nowell

Another 4th-year player who has elevated his game into a potential starter's role—except with Anthony Edwards around, there's no chance that can come in Minnesota for the 6'4" shooting guard Nowell. And don't even think about moving him to the three, where Jaden McDaniels has a lock on that position. 

Nowell, in 19 minutes per game, averaged a career-high 10.8 points per game. A knee injury hampered him for much of the season, but still, his per-36 minutes numbers averaged 20.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.8 assists. 

He's an unrestricted free agent, and it's likely that he's outplayed his salary-slot in the Twin Cities, unless he's willing to take a steep hometown discount to stay. 

 Photo: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports