Source: https://twitter.com/BobbyMarks42/status/1716547513950273871
Here’s what I wrote about Jaden McDaniels in Minnesota. Barring a trade, Minnesota is entering second apron territory next season.
With Gobert’s trade value being at an all-time low and the Timberwolves looking to head straight into the overly restrictive *second* tax apron after nearly two decades of avoiding the tax, it’s looking more and more like a KAT trade is on the horizon.
I get teams that can be a legit top-tier contender making moves to willingly put themselves in the second apron. Like the Suns taking on the Beal contract this summer makes sense, same with the Celtics and the moves they made. They are legit top-tier contenders. However, definitely not a good idea for the T-Wolves. They don’t graduate into fringe contender territory by going into the second apron, much less become a legit top-tier contender.
A KAT or Gobert trade has to be on the horizon.
Also, the second apron and the penalties associated with it (namely the fact your pick locks at the end of the first round 7 years after you exceed the second apron, and every time thereafter you exceed the second apron) is a joke and ruins not just teams that go for it to try and gun for a championship (Suns, Celtics, and if this rule existed before the Warriors and Clippers), but also teams that draft their core and extend their core pieces (Denver). It’s a joke and only benefits ownership across the league that are and want to remain cheap.
I think people need to stop worrying about it since this team hasn’t even played a season together. It’s just ignorant and in bad faith to say what they did last year is even remotely close to what could be realistically expected of them.
Judging anything off last season or the playoffs for a squad that missed its (still last season) best player for 50 games and then the best wing defender in the league and their 6th man for the playoffs is just pointless.