Gorgui Dieng, Timberwolves to Agree on New Contract: Latest Details, Reaction
The Minnesota Timberwolves took a step Monday toward ensuring some of their young talent will be around for the foreseeable future.
The team announced it has signed 26-year-old big man Gorgui Dieng to a contract extension.
According to Shams Charania of The Vertical, the deal is for four years and $64 million.
Charania reported Minnesota's front office met with Dieng's agent Monday after discussing a potential extension "over the past month." Charania noted the proposals the two sides exchanged became more serious in the weeks leading up to Monday's meeting.
Dieng entered the league as the No. 21 overall pick in the 2013 draft after three seasons with the Louisville Cardinals, whom he helped lead to the 2012-13 NCAA championship. Charania pointed out he was eligible for a rookie extension only until midnight ET on Tuesday.
The 6'11" big man has had an impressive start to the 2016-17 season, averaging 13.0 points, 13.5 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and a steal in 34.5 minutes per game in the team's first two contests.
He has developed into a shot-blocking and rebounding force down low alongside teammate Karl-Anthony Towns, and his scoring and field-goal percentage increased in each of his first three seasons in the league:
| 2013-14 | 60 | 13.6 | 4.8 | 5.0 | 0.8 | 49.8 |
| 2014-15 | 73 | 30.0 | 9.7 | 8.3 | 1.7 | 50.6 |
| 2015-16 | 82 | 27.1 | 10.1 | 7.1 | 1.2 | 53.2 |
Perhaps more importantly, Dieng will remain in Minnesota alongside his talented teammates as new head coach Tom Thibodeau looks to build a blossoming power in the Western Conference.
Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine are each just 21 years old. Towns is 20, and Kris Dunn is 22. According to Spotrac, Wiggins and LaVine will not become restricted free agents until 2018, while Towns won't be a restricted free agent until 2019.
Dieng will get a chance to develop with those playmakers for years to come thanks to Monday's extension.
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