According to ESPN, Minnesota Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor is ready to commit $150 million to Andrew Wiggins. The 2014 No. 1 overall draft pick is in the last year of his rookie contract. However, Taylor wants to meet with Wiggins before he invests that much money into the guard.
Be a better player if deal gets done
Taylor made comments that if he were to make this deal, he wants to see a better player out of Wiggins. Wiggins has averaged more points per game in each of his three seasons. He set a career high in points this past season with 23.6 points.
His assist numbers are down, but Wiggins has been used as more of a shooting guard than a point guard. Taylor said he believes that this deal is not just for this season, but for the following seasons in the future.
Wiggins could be the face of the franchise if he signs a five-year deal. The team has loaded up in the offseason by acquiring Jimmy Butler through a trade, and Jamal Crawford and Taj Gibson through free agency. The team also has Karl Anthony-Towns, who could be a potential All Star. The Timberwolves are hoping to sustain success after potentially making the playoffs for the first time since 2004.
Timberwolves are out on Kyrie Irving
After speculation that the Cavaliers want Wiggins in a trade, and that the Timberwolves were reluctant to trade him, this extension seals the deal that Kyrie Irving will not go to Minnesota.
If Wiggins takes a five-year extension, that likely means that Irving's preferred teams to be traded to are the San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat, and New York Knicks. The Timberwolves would love to have a trio of Irving, Butler, and Anthony-Towns, but they would want Wiggins to be included that, which the Cavaliers will not have.
Irving's most likely destination, if traded at all, is the Knicks. He is from the New York area. He played basketball in high school in New Jersey. The Knicks want to move Carmelo Anthony, and Irving could help swing that deal. The Heat have been aggressive as well as they could offer up Goran Dragic and other role players, but one thing is for sure.
Irving is not going to Minnesota.
Path to stardom
Wiggins has not shown that he can be a true superstar in the league yet. However, he is just 22 years old. After spending a year at the University of Kansas, he was already labeled as the No. 1 overall pick halfway through the year. Wiggins could still breakout to be a superstar. With a possible max extension on the horizon, Minnesota is banking on it happening there.
