NBA Rumors: Despite Alex Rodriguez’ Ownership Relief, Luxury Tax Bill to Force Timberwolves to Let Key Pieces Walk in Free Agency

Despite the on-court bravado of the Timberwolves, making a deep playoff run, the ultimate goal of bagging the championship remained untouched. Since Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore became minority owners of the franchise, the Wolves have been in an upward spiral. But trouble started in March when Glen Taylor, the majority owner, declared that the window for a full takeover expired for Rodriguez and Lore. Since then, the two parties have been in a power struggle, but now they have some backup.

According to the Star Tribune, billionaire Michael Bloomberg has decided to join forces with A. Rod and Lore. The newly formed ownership group will not have a direct effect on the arbitration panel over the hearing of the current legal battle. But this gives them the flexibility to splash some cash when required. But despite this welcome boost of fortune, Alex Rodriguez cannot breathe a sigh of relief.

The bigger issue going into the next season is contractual issues. The Timberwolves find themselves in a sticky position due to the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) introduced by the NBA in 2023. This limits the spending power of tax-happy owners to stop the replication of another GSW-esque team from the latter part of the decade. Currently, the T’wolves have a salary cap allocation of $273,554,473, but they find themselves $17,315,442 over the first apron and $6,484,442 over the second apron as per CBA. This means without significant outgoings no incoming can commence.

So the Minnesota setup has vital pieces set for free agency, and Kyle Anderson is the most notable name on that list. The former UCLA forward played a vital role in the 2022 season, but most of the games passed by him this season. Free agency is set to start on June 30 and there’s no trace of a contract for Anderson.

The other casualties of the financial lunch are Monte Morris, Jordan McLaughlin, and T.J. Warren with all of them set to his free agency. Along with the mass exodus, there are links between Karl-Anthony Towns and the Knicks over a potential trade. Even Towns expressed doubts during the exit interview last month about his future. So if Karl-Anthony Towns indeed leaves Minnesota in the summer, what will be the plan for Alex Rodriguez and Co.?

Who Can Alex Rodriguez and Co. Target This Offseason?

With a -$128 million cap space going into the summer, there’s not much A. Rod and Co. could do. The incoming plan is simple for the Timberwolves and that is signing free agents on a minimum veteran contract. The likes of Nicolas Batum, Malik Beasley, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Andre Drummond, and Spencer Dinwiddie could be potential options for the Timberwolves from the free agency pool.

During a recent interview on FM 100.3 KFAN, Chris Finch touched on the franchise’s Draft plans. “It’s a pretty level draft, I don’t think there’s a lot of franchise-changing guys in it. But I do believe there’s a lot of older players that can help you maybe right away,” said the HC. However, the brighter side is that the Timberwolves will keep the core of their top players, which will provide a foundation for the team to continue improving, irrespective of Alex Rodriguez’s battle with Glen Taylor.

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what brand maker, Leonard Armato, had to say about the deadly duo, Shaq and Kobe, check out this video