NBA Rumors: Minnesota Timberwolves Are Great Fit for JR Smith

With the majority of the scoring workload falling on the shoulders of power forward Kevin Love, the Minnesota Timberwolves would be an amazing fit for shooting guard J.R. Smith.

And believe me, he is the definition of shooting guard.

Most fans remember Smith from his days in Denver coming off the bench, but it was his ability to come into games cold and hit big shots for the Nuggets that made his so valuable. He doesn’t pass, he just shoots.

Minnesota could use his bench scoring to take the pressure off Love and keep the scoring pace up when he has to sit for a few minutes.

Sports Illustrated is reporting about the possible connection between the shooting guard and the team from Minnesota:

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Sources close to Smith also said that Minnesota is in the running, in large part because the Timberwolves can offer up to $5 million with their midlevel exception, while the Knicks can offer a prorated portion of their $2.5 million mini-midlevel and the Clippers the veteran's minimum. A source with knowledge of Minnesota's thinking, however, said Smith is not in the team's plans.

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KAHN!!!

Now that the nerd in me is satisfied, if Minnesota doesn’t kick the tires on a bona fide shooting star like Smith, I’m convinced that they are trying to maintain their current level of "successless" play.

With the possibility of playing with a point guard as talented as Ricky Rubio, the Wolves would have the most dangerous sniper and set-up man combination in the NBA. While Love is drinking his Gatorade and recharging on the bench, Smith could be draining buckets and increasing his team’s lead instead of squandering it.

Minnesota has the money to pay Smith, so there would be no harm in signing the star for the remainder of this season.

With the Timberwolves just two games out of the eighth position in the Western Conference, not going after the renegade shooter would show the NBA that the Wolves don’t want to win.

What a shame.

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