MN Timberwolves Eyeing Toronto Big Man

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Minnesota Timberwolves target Sandro Mamukelashvili - Playoffs-Cleveland Cavaliers at Toronto Raptors
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The Minnesota Timberwolves completely changed the direction of their franchise in blockbuster fashion on Thursday.

After a couple years of swinging and missing on superstar type talents on the trade market, Wolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly sent Naz Reid and a bevy of picks/pick swaps to Charlotte in exchange for crazy-talented and equally controversial point guard LaMelo Ball.

Why did they go with LaMelo? That can be debated to the moon, but one reason was undoubtedly the cost of doing business. Ball was a helluva lot cheaper on the trade market than the others Minnesota was chasing — like Jaylen Brown and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

And now, the Timberwolves have some money to spend and a couple different paths to add talent. They need it too, especially in the frontcourt, after trading away both Julius Randle and Naz Reid.

Minnesota Timberwolves targeting Raptors big man?

If the season started today, the Wolves would be faced with starting either Jaden McDaniels at the four or inserting Joan Beringer into the starting lineup as a rookie. Neither of those options are ideal, especially in a Western Conference that just keeps getting bigger.

One big man Minnesota is interested in, according to Wolves insider Dane Moore, on the Jon Krawczynski Show Thursday, is Toronto Raptors’ 27-year-old stretch-four out of Seton Hall — Sandro Mamukelashvili — who last season averaged 11.2 points (38.9% 3PT), 4.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 21.9 minutes per game.

“I’ve heard Sandro Mamukelashvili from Toronto as potentially an option there. Now, I think that’s going to depend on what his free agent marketplace ends up being and I don’t know if the Timberwolves can compete from an offer standpoint.

He has some of the floor spacing element that Naz had, and he can play off the second side, attack a close-out, those sort of things. So I would monitor that name.”

Dane Moore – The Jon Krawczynski Show

Report: MN Timberwolves Aren’t Done

“Mamu” started his NBA career with the San Antonio Spurs — after he was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks 54th overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, then eventually cut two years later. Over the course of his five-year NBA career, Mamu is averaging 7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game.

Last offseason, the he left the Spurs as a free agent and signed a two-year deal ($2.6 million per year) with the Toronto Raptors. However, that contract contains a player option for year two that he will undoubtedly opt-out of, following his breakout season with the Raptors.

Path to landing Sandro Mamukelashvili has obstacles

That’s why Dane Moore’s concerns over the Wolves’ ability to land Sandro Mamukelashvili are legitimate. Unless Connelly can find some sort of sign and trade, they’d have to ink him as a free agent.

Because the Minnesota Timberwolves are in the luxury tax, they’d would have to use their $15 million mid-level exception… which may not be enough to outbid other suitors.

But you don’t have to watch a lot of Sandro Mamukelashvili before you realize that he’s pretty much a perfect replacement for Naz Reid. He shoots the three at about the same rate and would fit in perfectly as someone who can stretch the floor around a team that plays Rudy Gobert at center.

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