Shabazz Muhammad, Timberwolves Reportedly Agree to Contract Buyout

The Minnesota Timberwolves have reportedly agreed to a buyout with Shabazz Muhammad, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

"I’m very happy and can’t wait to get my next opportunity," Muhammad said, per Marc J. Spears of the Undefeated.

Michael Scotto and Jon Krawczynski of the Athletic first reported the two sides were in negotiations for a potential agreement.

Muhammad signed a two-year deal this past offseason that included a player option for next season. He could have made about $1.8 million in 2018-19 but a buyout removes the opportunity while clearing a roster spot for Minnesota. 

Players had to be waived by their current team by Thursday (March 1) in order to be eligible to compete in the postseason for another squad. Per Wojnarowski, Muhammad plans to sign with a playoff contender.

The small forward was a key part of the Timberwolves rotation over the past two years, appearing in 160 of a possible 164 games. He averaged 10.2 points in 20 minutes per game in this stretch, mostly off the bench.

However, the addition of Jimmy Butler left a smaller role for Muhammad. He entered Thursday with just 3.8 ppg in just 32 appearances in 2017-18.

Although he requested a trade last month before the deadline, per Wojnarowski, Minnesota clearly couldn't find a partner.

He will now be free to sign with a new squad that will grant him more playing time, although he was already on a playoff contender. The Spurs and Pelicans stand out as teams that could use more scoring on the wing, but Muhammad could potentially take his time before finding his next destination.