38.9% From Three: Sandro Mamukelashvili Is Hitting Free Agency and The Wolves Might Be Broke

Did you see what went down this week in the NBA? The Timberwolves just blew up their frontcourt, sending Naz Reid to the Hornets for LaMelo Ball and Josh Green. Then, Julius Randle packed his bags for Brooklyn! Suddenly, Minnesota has a Grand Canyon-sized hole in their frontcourt. Guess who just had a career year, is a free agent, and could totally fill that void? Sandro Mamukelashvili. But here’s the kicker, Emerald City: Can the Wolves afford him?

Mamukelashvili's Monster Career Year With the Raptors

Let's talk about Sandro Mamukelashvili for a second. This guy is coming off his best season yet, balling out for the Toronto Raptors. In his fifth year in the league, and first with Toronto, the 6-foot-9 forward dropped an average of 11.2 points per game, pulled down 4.9 rebounds, and dished out 1.9 assists. Those are solid numbers, right? But check this out: he shot 52.3% from the field, an insane 38.9% from beyond the arc, and 74.7% from the free throw line. He's a legit floor-spacer, attempting 3.7 threes a game, which would be massive next to a guy like Rudy Gobert. Mamukelashvili, at 27 years old, is expected to opt out of the second year of his two-year, $5.2 million contract, hitting unrestricted free agency. He just had a career year and he's on the market. Perfect timing for him, and maybe, the Wolves.

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The Timberwolves' Money Mess Is Real

So, you’ve got a perfect fit in Mamukelashvili, right? A guy who can shoot, stretch the floor, and fill a huge void. But here’s where it gets dicey for the Wolves. Tim Connelly and the front office are already projected to be over the luxury tax again. What does that mean? They won't have access to the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which seemed possible before the LaMelo Ball trade shook everything up. Wolves media personality Dane Moore even said on the Jon Krawczynski show, "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." Moore highlighted that Mamukelashvili "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." The problem is, Minnesota likely won't have the cash to outbid other teams. Can they get creative? Re-routing Josh Green’s $14.6 million expiring contract is a possibility, but wow, what a tough spot to be in after such a blockbuster trade!

The Wolves have made their big moves, now comes the tricky part. Can they figure out the money game to land the perfect piece for their new-look frontcourt? Or will Mamukelashvili’s career year price him out of their reach? It’s going to be wild to watch how this plays out.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.