The Minnesota Timberwolves have one roster spot remaining after signing Luol Deng to a veteran minimum deal on Monday. Tom Thibodeau’s efforts to make Minnesota the 2011 TimberBulls has long been a joke around the NBA, but it’s slowly coming to fruition.
The final piece of the puzzle for Thibs is Joakim Noah, currently making $17 million a year with the Knicks who have exiled him and, possibly, could buy him out like they did Deng. As soon as the Deng signing was announced, everyone (including current Bull Bobby Portis) joked about Noah being next on the Wolves’ list.
Sources: Joakim Noah to the TimberBulls confirmed.. pic.twitter.com/JJGWbWhz5m
— Bobby BP Portis (@BPortistime) September 10, 2018
However, it appears Minnesota won’t be sitting around waiting for Noah to possibly hit the free agent market to fill their 15th roster spot. According to The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski and Shams Charania, the Timberwolves are planning on hosting a trio of veteran guards for workouts in the near future, with the most notable name on the list being Monta Ellis.
Wolves continue to do due diligence on available vets even after locking up Deng. Monta Ellis, Brandon Paul and Brandon Rush among those to work out, @ShamsCharania and I hear.
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) September 10, 2018
It’s been a full year since Mr. Have It All graced an NBA basketball court, but, like Andrew Bynum, Ellis is working on his own comeback to the Association. Ellis was once one of the league’s most dynamic backcourt scorers, but struggles with efficiency in a league that now puts a premium on that has led him to fall out of rotations and, ultimately, out of the league.
Now he’s looking to crack a roster once again, and Minnesota is apparently the starting point as he looks to find himself in a training camp later this month. It’s possible Minnesota will pass on signing another player and just go into the season with 14 on their roster, as they’re perilously close to the luxury tax line right now, and a veteran minimum signing would push them over the tax threshold so long as they keep the non-guaranteed deal of James Nunnally.
