The 2025 Wolves Off Season

[Calinks]

If you use a roster space on Dame, there is a chance you have Dame Lillard for the playoffs. Full stop.

Also, remember last year when Ant wanted to be a better three point shooter, he tried copying Steph, then Klay, then KD. Those didn’t work, so he tried copying Dame, and that’s what worked. I wonder if Dame is flattered, that Ant used his footwork to lead the NBA in three’s? More importantly, can Dame teach Ant how to run an offense better?

I'd do it even if he cant play until the season after next. Granted as long as it doesn't cripple us in some way. Having Dame rehabbing is still better to me than having some guy like Nix on the roster who will never play a lick unless we are up 30 in the 4th. Even if Damn starts to travel with the team or is just availble to the team at home games, his input and knowledge could be invaluable to our young guys.

[KGdaBom]

Why would you let Milwaukee off the hook for part of Dame's contract the next 2 years?

If I'm understanding correctly the team that signs him can do so for the vet minimum with Milwaukee paying him about 50 million each of the next two years. Am I understanding correctly?

Basically. Technically there is a CBA rule called “set off” which means that half of any new salary will be deducted from what the original team has to pay. But Dame got the full buy out amount, and will value his freedom to finally choose his team over making slightly more on a bigger contract. I expect he signs for the vet min, which will let him pick between 29 teams.

So if Dame signs for the TPMLE he will get half of that which is 2.8 million or so or he can sign for the vet minimum half of which would be about 1.8 million. When your getting over $50 million regardless letting $1 million or even a few million sway your decision seems short sighted.

[shrink]

If you use a roster space on Dame, there is a chance you have Dame Lillard for the playoffs. Full stop.

Also, remember last year when Ant wanted to be a better three point shooter, he tried copying Steph, then Klay, then KD. Those didn’t work, so he tried copying Dame, and that’s what worked. I wonder if Dame is flattered, that Ant used his footwork to lead the NBA in three’s? More importantly, can Dame teach Ant how to run an offense better?

I'd do it even if he cant play until the season after next. Granted as long as it doesn't cripple us in some way. Having Dame rehabbing is still better to me than having some guy like Nix on the roster who will never play a lick unless we are up 30 in the 4th. Even if Dame starts to travel with the team or is just availble to the team at home games, his input and knowledge could be invaluable to our young guys.

Getting two years would also start limited Bird rights. I don’t underestimate how long players can last in the nba any more, and we saw an older Durant come back from an Achilles tear. Just like we need to keep reassessing salaries by today’s numbers, I think we need to do reassess career lengths by new improvements in medical technology and practices.

[shrink]

If I'm understanding correctly the team that signs him can do so for the vet minimum with Milwaukee paying him about 50 million each of the next two years. Am I understanding correctly?

Basically. Technically there is a CBA rule called “set off” which means that half of any new salary will be deducted from what the original team has to pay. But Dame got the full buy out amount, and will value his freedom to finally choose his team over making slightly more on a bigger contract. I expect he signs for the vet min, which will let him pick between 29 teams.

So if Dame signs for the TPMLE he will get half of that which is 2.8 million or so or he can sign for the vet minimum half of which would be about 1.8 million. When your getting over $50 million regardless letting $1 million or even a few million sway your decision seems short sighted.

As I understand it, a player gets the full cash from whatever contract you sign. Set off only saves MIL some of the cap hit.

I’m not sure about this vet min stuff with set off that fatty mentioned, except in the most general ways. As many of you know, players with more years of nba experience get more money from the vet min scale. However, in an effort to keep older players in the league, the NBA pays the difference between that scale salary, and the salary for a player with only two years of experience.

In this case, Dame has 10+ years of experience, so he’d get $3.6 mil in a vet min deal. However, if MIN signed him, they would only pay $2.3, the scale for a player with two years of experience, and the NBA would pay the other $1.3. He would only count for a $2.3 cap hit, and I imagine fatty saw something about which number they use for set off, half of $2.3 or $3.6.

[BlacJacMac]

Basically. Technically there is a CBA rule called “set off” which means that half of any new salary will be deducted from what the original team has to pay. But Dame got the full buy out amount, and will value his freedom to finally choose his team over making slightly more on a bigger contract. I expect he signs for the vet min, which will let him pick between 29 teams.

So if Dame signs for the TPMLE he will get half of that which is 2.8 million or so or he can sign for the vet minimum half of which would be about 1.8 million. When your getting over $50 million regardless letting $1 million or even a few million sway your decision seems short sighted.

As I understand it, a player gets the full cash from whatever contract you sign. Set off only saves MIL some of the cap hit.

I’m not sure about this vet min stuff with set off that fatty mentioned, except in the most general ways. As many of you know, players with more years of nba experience get more money from the vet min scale. However, in an effort to keep older players in the league, the NBA pays the difference between that scale salary, and the salary for a player with only two years of experience.

In this case, Dame has 10+ years of experience, so he’d get $3.6 mil in a vet min deal. However, if MIN signed him, they would only pay $2.3, the scale for a player with two years of experience, and the NBA would pay the other $1.3. He would only count for a $2.3 cap hit, and I imagine fatty saw something about which number they use for set off, half of $2.3 or $3.6.

People (myself included) are basing it off the Athletic story from when he was waived. This is from Sam Amick's section:

With Lillard owed $54.1 million for this season and $58.4 million in the 2026-27 campaign, there is a salary offset for any team that acquires him during that two-year period. And while the Bucks would surely prefer Lillard sign for a significant salary as a way to alleviate some of their financial burden, the reality is he could sign for a minimum-salary deal and still be paid the same amount. That’s a powerful place to be when you’re a future Hall of Famer in your mid-30s who has never won a championship.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6465715/2025/07/01/damian-lillard-waived-bucks-myles-turner-nba-free-agency/

[winforlose]

If Bradley Beal is bought out, do we want him. Does that create an incentive to trade DDV and switch to 34 (Ant,) 32 (Beal,) 30 (acquired PG,) 3 guard rotation. Play TSJ behind Jaden, and have Clark as next man up?

[BlacJacMac]

If Bradley Beal is bought out, do we want him. Does that create an incentive to trade DDV and switch to 34 (Ant,) 32 (Beal,) 30 (acquired PG,) 3 guard rotation. Play TSJ behind Jaden, and have Clark as next man up?

I don't see him wanting us. I'd think he'd be looking for a team with a hole at SG.

[shrink]

Rockets waived Jock Landale. He might help our center position, and enjoy our Aussies. HOU had no center minutes for Londale, with Sengun, keeping Steven Adams, and adding Clint Cappella. Londale said he’d sign with his “preferred destination.”

(Also, I think the fact he got waived shows that the seven team trade might be close to being done).

[MN7725]

If Bradley Beal is bought out, do we want him. Does that create an incentive to trade DDV and switch to 34 (Ant,) 32 (Beal,) 30 (acquired PG,) 3 guard rotation. Play TSJ behind Jaden, and have Clark as next man up?

Its pretty slim pickings for PG at around DDV's salary range

those that make less than him are pretty much all rookie contract, mostly as unproven as Dillingham

those that make more the Wolves would have to add in useful players

[moss_is_1]

Rockets waived Jock Landale. He might help our center position, and enjoy our Aussies. HOU had no center minutes for Londale, with Sengun, keeping Steven Adams, and adding Clint Cappella. Londale said he’d sign with his “preferred destination.”

(Also, I think the fact he got waived shows that the seven team trade might be close to being done).

Was thinking about him also. He would be a good grab.

[Rookie-Mistake]

We need continuity.
I think Finch needs to incorporate the bench/youth a lot more this season.

Sent from my SM-G991B using RealGM mobile app

[Calinks]

If you use a roster space on Dame, there is a chance you have Dame Lillard for the playoffs. Full stop.

Also, remember last year when Ant wanted to be a better three point shooter, he tried copying Steph, then Klay, then KD. Those didn’t work, so he tried copying Dame, and that’s what worked. I wonder if Dame is flattered, that Ant used his footwork to lead the NBA in three’s? More importantly, can Dame teach Ant how to run an offense better?

I'd do it even if he cant play until the season after next. Granted as long as it doesn't cripple us in some way. Having Dame rehabbing is still better to me than having some guy like Nix on the roster who will never play a lick unless we are up 30 in the 4th. Even if Dame starts to travel with the team or is just availble to the team at home games, his input and knowledge could be invaluable to our young guys.

Getting two years would also start limited Bird rights. I don’t underestimate how long players can last in the nba any more, and we saw an older Durant come back from an Achilles tear. Just like we need to keep reassessing salaries by today’s numbers, I think we need to do reassess career lengths by new improvements in medical technology and practices.

Agree. I still think it is very likely he falls off, age is age, but even a Lilliard at 75 percent of what he has been last season would be a tremendous boon to our offense. I think it would also be a nice learning piece for our young guards. The specialized knowledge that vets have (including guys like Conely, Ingles) is huge and should be retained.

[FrenchMinnyFan]

Finch say recently that young will have a chance. I expect TSJ, Clark, Rob to play regular min in the rotation. I also expect Joan or Rocco to become backup for Rudy in one year from now. Let's see what they do in summer league and pre-season games. We have the chemistry already, we have to start strong which will allow to limit min to our starters and give more min to them.

[Calinks]

We need continuity.
I think Finch needs to incorporate the bench/youth a lot more this season.

Sent from my SM-G991B using RealGM mobile app

I think he would have last season if we didn't make that Knicks trade but I think he will for sure this year too. Our major players have had enough time together to gel fairly well, and we need to get the young guys going now.

[winforlose]

We need continuity.
I think Finch needs to incorporate the bench/youth a lot more this season.

Sent from my SM-G991B using RealGM mobile app

I think he would have last season if we didn't make that Knicks trade but I think he will for sure this year too. Our major players have had enough time together to gel fairly well, and we need to get the young guys going now.

This is not consistent with Finch’s history or comments. He has very narrow roles for young players, and is explicit that he doesn’t want them to try and do more than that role. Dilly being told go play-make but not shoot is a good example. He also is famous for half rotations and not rewarding good play. That is a great recipe for undermining player confidence, especially considering he is famous for benching players after a mistake or two. Oh, and he plays obvious favorites. After benching Minott and Dilly following their first mistake he allowed Garza to be eaten for lunch to end a half, and then came back with him in the second half instead of getting Miller into competitive minutes. He even shortened the minutes and took away the spots of Clark and Shannon when they were actually contributing. To expect Finch to suddenly change his entire approach is… optimistic at best.

[shrink]

If Bradley Beal is bought out, do we want him. Does that create an incentive to trade DDV and switch to 34 (Ant,) 32 (Beal,) 30 (acquired PG,) 3 guard rotation. Play TSJ behind Jaden, and have Clark as next man up?

I think we always want good players, if the price is cheap enough.

Beal gets hated because his contract is too big and he has a no trade clause, but he is still a very good volume scorer.

[winforlose]

If Bradley Beal is bought out, do we want him. Does that create an incentive to trade DDV and switch to 34 (Ant,) 32 (Beal,) 30 (acquired PG,) 3 guard rotation. Play TSJ behind Jaden, and have Clark as next man up?

I think we always want good players, if the price is cheap enough.

Beal gets hated because his contract is too big and he has a no trade clause, but he is still a very good volume scorer.

Being a first apron team before the season starts are we allowed to sign him off a buyout? I wasn’t sure if that restriction only applies to 2nd apron or if it covers 1st as well?

[karch34]

We need continuity.
I think Finch needs to incorporate the bench/youth a lot more this season.

Sent from my SM-G991B using RealGM mobile app

I think he would have last season if we didn't make that Knicks trade but I think he will for sure this year too. Our major players have had enough time together to gel fairly well, and we need to get the young guys going now.

This is not consistent with Finch’s history or comments. He has very narrow roles for young players, and is explicit that he doesn’t want them to try and do more than that role. Dilly being told go play-make but not shoot is a good example. He also is famous for half rotations and not rewarding good play. That is a great recipe for undermining player confidence, especially considering he is famous for benching players after a mistake or two. Oh, and he plays obvious favorites. After benching Minott and Dilly following their first mistake he allowed Garza to be eaten for lunch to end a half, and then came back with him in the second half instead of getting Miller into competitive minutes. He even shortened the minutes and took away the spots of Clark and Shannon when they were actually contributing. To expect Finch to suddenly change his entire approach is… optimistic at best.

Finch changed his mind on McDaniels pretty quick once he saw evidence. I think if player shows something he won’t ignore it.

[minimus]

Watch on YouTube

He has no reason to come here as 3rd string comboguard, but as 21yo it might be a smart bet to be in top level development program in MIN. His playing style reminds me Nowell a lot

Is it wise to bring the guy that was charged with shoplifting from Target on numerous occasions, while in the NBA, to play at Target Center?

Oh, no. Thats dumb as hell, or mental issue. I'd not touch him

[shrink]

If Bradley Beal is bought out, do we want him. Does that create an incentive to trade DDV and switch to 34 (Ant,) 32 (Beal,) 30 (acquired PG,) 3 guard rotation. Play TSJ behind Jaden, and have Clark as next man up?

I think we always want good players, if the price is cheap enough.

Beal gets hated because his contract is too big and he has a no trade clause, but he is still a very good volume scorer.

Being a first apron team before the season starts are we allowed to sign him off a buyout? I wasn’t sure if that restriction only applies to 2nd apron or if it covers 1st as well?

Great catch! I think though that the rule specifically says “during the regular season,” so I imagine that we would be eligible to sign Dame or Beal.