While the inclusion of Nickeil Alexander-Walker in the Mike Conley trade garners a lot of (deserved) attention, something that I think is also worth serious consideration is the value of Tim Connelly finessing the three seconds out of the deal.
Currently, Minnesota has the following seconds to trade:
Excluding the 2023 SRP, Minnesota has six seconds to trade during the 2023/24 season. Below is a breakdown of every 2023 Trade Deadline deals involving primarily Second Round Draft Picks.
Tradeable expiring contracts include:
Mike Conley - $24,360,000
Kyle Anderson - $9,219,512
Taurean Prince - $7,650,000
Jordan McLaughlin - $2,320,000
Next season, Minnesota's roster is shaping up to be...
Mike Conley / Jordan McLaughlin
Anthony Edwards / Nickeil Alexander Walker (RFA) /
Jaden McDaniels / Taurean Prince / Wendell Moore Jr.
Karl-Anthony Towns / Kyle Anderson / Josh Minott
Rudy Gobert / Nathan Knight
+ Naz Reid (Hopefully!), MLE, and #54
Alongside whatever they do with the MLE and retaining Naz Reid, Minnesota is now better positioned to make a move during the 2024 Trade Deadline to fully round out the roster. Doubling their Second Round Draft Pick capital enables a lot of flexibility.