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Timberwolves Enter Tight Offseason With Heavy Payroll and Backcourt Need

Severe cap limits will force Minnesota to choose a narrow path to upgrades.

Overview

  • Minnesota exited the playoffs in six games to the Spurs after upsetting Denver, setting up a constrained offseason.
  • The core led by Anthony Edwards at $48.9 million is under contract, with $188.9 million tied to six players and tax “apron” lines at $201M, $209M, and $222M that add penalties and limit moves.
  • Team decisions now include a $2.4 million option on Julian Phillips and restricted free agency for Jaylen Clark.
  • Big cap hits for Naz Reid ($23.3M) and Julius Randle ($33.3M) make tear‑down trades hard and shrink room for depth adds.
  • With Donte DiVincenzo expected to miss much of 2026–27, analysts call re‑signing Ayo Dosunmu a priority, while trade ideas from Cason Wallace to Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving are described as speculative.