NBA Teams Reportedly 'Licking Their Chops' to Pursue Wolves' Alexander-Walker
The Minnesota Timberwolves' decision to focus on re-signing Naz Reid could benefit teams looking to pursue Nikeil Alexander-Walker in free agency.
According to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto, "many teams," including the Orlando Magic are interested in using the non-taxpayer mid-level exception to acquire Alexander-Walker.
Scotto says those teams are "licking their chops to make a run" at Alexander-Walker. He also wrote that he has spoken with NBA executives who expect Alexander-Walker to earn the full $14.1 non-taxpayer MLE "or close to it" this offseason.
Reid is expected to decline his $15 million player option, and the Wolves are expected to prioritize bringing him back, per Scotto. That deal and Julius Randle's $30.7 million player option could limit Minnesota's ability to win a potential bidding war for Alexander-Walker.
Alexander-Walker upped his free agency value by establishing himself as a go-to two-way option for the Wolves while playing 82 games for a second straight season in Minnesota.
He averaged 9.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists while adding 0.6 steals and 0.4 blocks on his way to a fifth-place finish in Sixth Man of the Year voting.
The 26-year-old added 8.3 points, 1.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists through 15 playoff games before the Wolves were eliminated by the Oklahoma City Thunder in five games of the Western Conference Finals.
Alexander-Walker said after the end of the Timberwolves' season that he wouldn't rule out a return to Minnesota.
“This is the only place I’ve had a real opportunity to play and be the best version of myself. … There’s no way that I’m going to go into the offseason and X-out Minnesota. That’d be crazy," Alexander-Walker said, per Chris Hine of the Minnesota Star Tribune.
But the Timberwolves are projected to be just $925,000 below the first luxury tax apron if Randle and Reid both take their player options, per Spotrac. The team may go above the tax if offering Reid a raise.
If tax restrictions ultimately cause Alexander-Walker to depart in free agency, the Wolves could hope to give a bigger role to Terrence Shannon Jr. The 27th pick of the 2024 draft got playing time during the Western Conference Finals and could potentially develop into another 3-and-D option if given a rotation spot next season.
