As Marc Lore and A-Rod are struggling to make payments to finish their sale source, Zach Lowe has commented how everyone knows this year will be the one and only year of this Timberwolves roster.
Next summer, it is not possible for a) Glen Taylor to pay a luxury tax for a team he is trying to sell b) A-Rod and Marc Lore to pay a luxury tax for a team they can barely afford to finish purchasing. As a result, the timberwolves must shed roster money next summer. Since they plan on building around Anthony Edwards, it is expected they have to trade KAT ($50 mil next year).
Due to the new collective bargaining agreement, they have to trade a player while taking no money back. The only way to do this is if a team has enough cap space and draft picks to compensate for the player.
The following teams have projected practical cap space source:
- 76ers: $74 mil
- Pistons: $66 mil
- Magic: $62 mil
- Raptors $53 mil
- Jazz $52 mil
- Pacers $37 mil
- Spurs $35 mil
- Wizards $33 mil
- Hornets $30 mil
- Rockets $28 mil
I can anticipate the Pistons, Magic, Raptors, Jazz, Pacers possibly going for KAT, but how many picks are they willing to give up, how valuable are those picks going to be, and do they actually see a 28 year old KAT as a building block to a championship team for their young cores. What if the Timberwolves go a different direction?
I think the Sixers should target Jaden McDaniels with their cap space and all of their remaining assets. McDaniels will be making $22 mil starting next year. The Timberwolves clearly see Ant, Gobert, and KAT as their best 3 players. The 76ers can give them enough assets to so they have ammunition to adjust their team down the line with a KAT or Gobert + assets trade for a piece that best fits Edwards.
No other team with cap space would be willing to give up that much for McDaniels since they are still looking for a best player on a championship team. Since no one thinks KAT is that, I believe those teams are better served saving their assets to draft one or trade for one.
In this scenario, the Timberwolves keep their core of Ant, KAT, and Gobert while having assets to build around those 3 and replace McDaniels with a cheaper 3 & D wing.
The Sixers’ core of Embiid, Maxey, and McDaniels with additional cap space to surround them with quality role players can contend until Embiid retires.
Due to the precariousness of the Timberwolves situation, it may be possible to acquire McDaniels without expending all of our draft capital allowing the Sixers to rebuild around Maxey and McDaniels after Embiid is past his prime.
I see this as a much better option than trading for Zach Lavine this year.
Let’s see what Minny is at the all-star break, but KAT could fill the same function that a Markkanen could for us. Spreading the floor and hitting open jumpers.