What to do with Nowell in this off-season?

[life_saver]

Nowell is on contract with until 2022-23 season and Wolves have team option for next season for just under $1.7M. Nowell this season has shown flashes. He has looked pretty good offensively in whatever playing time he has gotten. His offensive game is very well-rounded and is also a decent 3 point shooter (although can be bit inconsistent). He also has shown that he can be a good backup option as ball-handler.

I would like Wolves to take bit of a gamble and lock down Nowell for 3-4 more years in this off-season..offer him a 3 year $20M-$25M kind of guaranteed contract in this off-season. I feel like Nowell has the potential to breakout if given a bigger role and I don't want Wolves to be in a situation where Nowell has a break-out season next year and Wolves end up being priced out in-order to retain him in 2023 off-season when he is a UFA after his rookie contract is finished.

What do you guys think?

[moss_is_1]

I'd absolutely like him to be our 6th man eventually. If we could extend him now, cheap, before he really gets consistent PT and exposure I'd try it.

I don't see a reason he can't be a Clarkson/Herro/Oubre level of super sub. He's what, 22? Guys a scorer who can handle and score from anywhere.

[life_saver]

I'd absolutely like him to be our 6th man eventually. If we could extend him now, cheap, before he really gets consistent PT and exposure I'd try it.

I don't see a reason he can't be a Clarkson/Herro/Oubre level of super sub. He's what, 22? Guys a scorer who can handle and score from anywhere.

That's my thinking as well. Sign him for an extension before risking a chance of him breaking out and moving out of Wolves price range.

Clarkson and Oubre can be bit of blackholes on offense and Nowell is already a much better passer than those two. Herro though is much better scorer than Nowell. I can't think of a good comp for Nowell. He just isn't as one-dimensional as most of the 6th man's you see in the league.

[shrink]

I think we pick up the last year of a cheap team option, but immediately offer him an extension. The CBA allows a maximum of 120% of the average salary, which is projected at $10.1 mil, so the first year could be as high as $12, and a four year deal would be close to $54 mil.

However, I don’t expect it to be that high. Nowell will be playing his fourth year on a vet min deal, and it would remove a lot of risk to him if he can get longterm, guaranteed money. This will give him a lot of incentive to take a smaller number, if he can insure life-changing guaranteed money with just his signature. Pick up the $1.9 mil team option, then offer a three year extension for $25, maybe?


Naz is in the same position. Even if they want to go to other teams later for bigger roles, the contracts should make them trade pieces with some value.

[shrink]

Let me add one other piece for you CBA nerds.

In most cases, it is valuable for a team to have contracts expire at the same time, to create as much room under the cap as possible for a specific year. Cap space has great value not just to acquire free agents, but as a tradeable commodity to help other teams do deals. It is possible for MIN to generate a great deal of cap space after next summer, where the only players on the books could be Towns and Edwards, and cheap Vando and McLaughlin.

However, in this case, I’d still advocate for discount contract extensions for Nowell and Naz. First, they are good players that can help us on the floor. But second, even if we need more cap space, if we sign them to good contracts, we may be able to trade them anyway for cap space .. plus an asset. I will hope that the new GM of the Wolves doesn’t blindly follow the road to the most cap space that several GM’s often follow.

[winforlose]

I'd absolutely like him to be our 6th man eventually. If we could extend him now, cheap, before he really gets consistent PT and exposure I'd try it.

I don't see a reason he can't be a Clarkson/Herro/Oubre level of super sub. He's what, 22? Guys a scorer who can handle and score from anywhere.

That's my thinking as well. Sign him for an extension before risking a chance of him breaking out and moving out of Wolves price range.

Clarkson and Oubre can be bit of blackholes on offense and Nowell is already a much better passer than those two. Herro though is much better scorer than Nowell. I can't think of a good comp for Nowell. He just isn't as one-dimensional as most of the 6th man's you see in the league.

Reminds me of Jaylen Brunson.

[jscott]

I think we pick up the last year of a cheap team option, but immediately offer him an extension. The CBA allows a maximum of 120% of the average salary, which is projected at $10.1 mil, so the first year could be as high as $12, and a four year deal would be close to $54 mil.

However, I don’t expect it to be that high. Nowell will be playing his fourth year on a vet min deal, and it would remove a lot of risk to him if he can get longterm, guaranteed money. This will give him a lot of incentive to take a smaller number, if he can insure life-changing guaranteed money with just his signature. Pick up the $1.9 mil team option, then offer a three year extension for $25, maybe?


Naz is in the same position. Even if they want to go to other teams later for bigger roles, the contracts should make them trade pieces with some value.

I agree with this completely. I’d love to lock them up for a few years at fair/reasonable deals.

I think both MIGHT be able to find larger roles elsewhere but that’s not certain. They may like their situation here (winning, playing, friends, and opportunity) enough to see where it goes.

IMO that could be ideal for the team and for the players.

[life_saver]

I think we pick up the last year of a cheap team option, but immediately offer him an extension. The CBA allows a maximum of 120% of the average salary, which is projected at $10.1 mil, so the first year could be as high as $12, and a four year deal would be close to $54 mil.

However, I don’t expect it to be that high. Nowell will be playing his fourth year on a vet min deal, and it would remove a lot of risk to him if he can get longterm, guaranteed money. This will give him a lot of incentive to take a smaller number, if he can insure life-changing guaranteed money with just his signature. Pick up the $1.9 mil team option, then offer a three year extension for $25, maybe?


Naz is in the same position. Even if they want to go to other teams later for bigger roles, the contracts should make them trade pieces with some value.

Yeah..this is what I was thinking too. Nowell hasn't earned big money so far in his career yet (relatively speaking when compared to other NBA players). An offer like guaranteed money in the range of $25M-$30M will be life-changing money. There is also a chance of him betting on himself breaking out next season and decline this contract offer but I think he might not wanna risk losing out on guaranteed contract money if Wolves offer anything in range of $20M-$35M.

I am more interested in locking down Nowell than Naz. It's much harder to find an all-round offensive scorer like Nowell than a backup big like Naz.

[Klomp]

I think team success will be a big factor that may keep those two here for possibly under market value. They may not want to go back to losing environment like they had their first few years even if money comes with it.

[moss_is_1]

I think team success will be a big factor that may keep those two here for possibly under market value. They may not want to go back to losing environment like they had their first few years even if money comes with it.

Also true. While they may like more playing time, we've always heard about how tight knit this group is and how much they all really like each other. True test would be if someone's willing to stay in a smaller role.

[urinesane]

Question: What to do with Nowell in this off-season?

Answer:

[shrink]

Great movie. Love KGB

[Mamba4Goat]

I think I’d use Nowell as a trade chip unless you can get him on a steal of a deal. Unfortunately backup bucket getting guards are very easy to find in the draft nowadays and giving Nowell the money he deserves is a pretty tough sell.

[TaylorTag]

Kind of depends on what we do with Russel this offseason. If we make it past the first round, I can see the org giving Russel an extension this offseason.. How big I am not sure, depends on how he plays, but I think winning a playoff series would give the Wolves FO enough confidence that our current Big3 can win together..

If and when Russel gets his extension, the team will have a better idea of what they can afford in Nowell, who pretty much plays the same position as Russel, though I would argue he plays more of Ant's role in the offense then D'Lo's.

[Klomp]

Shrink or someone else,
How does the Gupta Special contract option situation affect the ability to trade Nowell and/or Reid? Are we able to trade them on draft night given their uncertain status?

[minimus]

Can Jaylen Nowell be our Jordan Poole?

[winforlose]

Can Jaylen Nowell be our Jordan Poole?

Two things worry me about Nowell.

1. His defense is weak enough that Finch won’t want to give him minutes.

2. Nowell isn’t aggressive enough. I don’t want him to go full D Rose on us and ball stop. But he is too willing to give it up to KAT, Ant, Dlo, Prince, Beasley, ect… Nowell seems to be a rhythm guy and he needs to take enough shots to shoot himself into a rhythm. Cannot let this turn into a KMART or Bjelly situation where we have an offensive weapon to afraid to play offense consistently.