Minnesota Just Axed Julian Phillips, And Their Roster Looks WILD After a $2.4 Million Move

Alright, so you know me, I bleed green and blue, and I'm always watching our teams, but sometimes you gotta peek at what's shaking up the league. And let me tell you, the Minnesota Timberwolves just made a move that's got everyone talking! They're officially declining that $2.4 million team option on wing Julian Phillips for the upcoming season. Boom! Just like that, Phillips, a 2023 second-round pick, is set to become an unrestricted free agent. This is huge for their cap situation, and honestly, it reshapes their whole roster dynamic. Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic dropped the news, and it's a gut punch for Phillips, but a big strategic play for the Wolves.

Phillips' Rollercoaster Ride in Minnesota

So, who is Julian Phillips? He's a 22-year-old, 6'6" wing who came to the Wolves in a February trade with the Bulls. That deal was a big one, bringing Ayo Dosunmu to Minnesota too, while sending Rob Dillingham, Leonard Miller, and several second-round picks to Chicago. Phillips wasn't exactly a starter, playing in just 13 regular season games and five postseason contests as a reserve. He did flash some potential, dropping 16 points in the final game of the regular season, which gives you a glimpse of what he *could* do. Before the Wolves, Phillips played one season at Tennessee, then got picked 35th overall by the Celtics in 2023. He bounced around that same week, getting traded to the Wizards and then the Bulls. He saw some time in Chicago's rotation but never really locked down consi

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stent minutes. Now he's back on the market, looking for a new home.

The Wolves' Cap Space Juggling Act

Declining Phillips' option is just one piece of a much larger puzzle the Wolves are trying to solve. There's a "massive multi-team trade" hanging out there involving big names like LaMelo Ball, Julius Randle, and Naz Reid, plus a bunch of other players. On top of that, they're working on new contracts for Ayo Dosunmu and Jaylen Clark. Once all that shakes out, their 2026-27 roster is starting to take shape, with salaries like Anthony Edwards at $48.9 million, LaMelo Ball at $41.3 million, and Rudy Gobert at $36.5 million. Then you've got Jaden McDaniels ($26.2M), Ayo Dosunmu ($19.3M estimated), Josh Green ($14.7M), Donte DiVincenzo ($12.5M), Joan Beringer ($4.4M), Jaylen Clark ($3.1M estimated), Terrence Shannon Jr ($2.8M), and Isaiah Evans ($1.4M). Plus, Rocco Zikarsky, Enrique Freeman, and second-round pick Trey Kaufmann-Renn are expected to be on two-way deals. All these moves leave the Timberwolves with roughly $9 million under the second apron, which they're hard-capped at. They've got a minimum of three more standard roster spots to fill to hit the required 14 players. If they play their cards right and move Josh Green's expiring contract, they could open up even more space. They do have the $6.1 million taxpayer mid-level exception to offer free agents, but they might actually need to deal Green to use all of it. They might even look to bring back familiar faces like Kyle Anderson or Bones Hyland on cheap contracts. It's a high-stakes game of basketball economics right now!

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