NBA expansion is creeping closer, and if the league’s new teams in Seattle and Las Vegas were drafting this season, the Timberwolves would have some real choices to make.
The setup is simple enough: each expansion team can take one player from each NBA roster, while every current team gets to protect eight. Minnesota could also shift East as part of the process, but the bigger question here is which eight Wolves would be off limits if the draft happened right now.
The easy part starts with six names that feel locked in: Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Jaden McDaniels, Rudy Gobert, Joan Beringer, and Ayo Dosunmu.
That group explains itself. Edwards is the superstar.
Ball is the newly added co-star. McDaniels is the kind of fit you build around and not someone you give away, even for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Gobert remains the defensive backbone. Beringer is viewed as Gobert’s successor and Minnesota’s best young player.
Dosunmu, on a five-year, $112 million deal, fits as a valuable complementary guard.
From there, Jonathan Kuminga feels like the next obvious keep. He’s the starting power forward, and that matters a lot for a roster that can’t afford a hole there.
There is some hesitation because he has a player option after this season, which makes him feel more like a one-year piece than a long-term lock given Minnesota’s cap situation. Even so, his talent and importance make him too risky to leave exposed.
That leaves the final spot to a straight-up debate between Terrence Shannon Jr. and Donte DiVincenzo.
Shannon brings the younger profile and plenty of intrigue. He’s 26, he showed real juice as a playoff scorer, and the Wolves clearly see upside in him.
But there are real questions about how he translates outside of a bigger on-ball role. He’s a spark plug when he has the ball, but he hasn’t shown the same level of success in a reduced role.
DiVincenzo brings the opposite case. He’s the more proven complementary player, the kind who can fit alongside other stars without needing the offense to bend around him. But his Achilles injury adds uncertainty, and that matters in a decision like this.
If Minnesota had to choose today, Shannon would get the nod over DiVincenzo because of age and future value, even with the concerns about his fit. That would leave DiVincenzo as the bigger name left unprotected.
The rest of the unprotected group would include rookie Isaiah Evans, Bones Hyland, Jaylen Clark, and 2024 lottery pick Cody Williams.
Since only one player could be taken from Minnesota in the expansion draft, Seattle or Las Vegas would still have to decide whether to chase one of those younger swings instead of an older player like DiVincenzo. Either way, this exercise shows just how many difficult calls the Wolves would face when the real expansion draft arrives in 2028.
In Other News...
Jonathan Kuminga Is Now Pushing Back On A Warriors Contract Claim
Jonathan Kumingas contract situation has taken another twist, and the latest turn only adds to the confusion around what was actually offered and what was actually rejected. The back-and-forth has become a story not just about negotiations, but about how the messages from Kuminga and his camp have lined up, or failed to line up, as reports have surfaced about his options.
Kuminga reportedly texted Darren Moore, Lonzo Balls manager, to say he never turned down any offers at all. That directly cuts against the earlier framing from his agent, Aaron Turner, who had indicated Kuminga passed on higher-value possibilities, including reported deals tied to the Warriors and Lakers. For Minnesota fans tracking the broader Western Conference picture, it is another reminder that the offseason business around a key opponent can still shape the landscape long after the headlines first break. [Read more 🡒]
Jonathan Kumingas Wolves Decision Leaves One Lakers Question Hanging
The Timberwolves added another forward with the announcement of Jonathan Kumingas signing, and they even revealed hell wear No. 24. Kuminga arrives after finishing his fifth NBA season with stops in Atlanta and Golden State, and the move immediately stood out because he reportedly had other suitors in the mix, including the Lakers, Bulls and Trail Blazers.
What made the story linger was the money angle attached to the Lakers chatter, which had fueled the idea that Minnesota won out over a bigger pitch. Kuminga pushed back on that version of events, saying the deal narrative was not accurate, leaving the exact shape of the offseason pursuit and what was actually on the table as the part still hanging over the signing. [Read more 🡒]
Ayo Dosunmu Could Decide How Flexible The Timberwolves Really Are
When the Timberwolves went after Ayo Dosunmu at last years trade deadline, they were looking for a guard who could settle into the rotation quickly and give the roster more balance. Minnesota sent Rob Dillingham and Leonard Miller to Chicago to get him, and Dosunmus first games in a Timberwolves uniform were encouraging enough that the team moved forward with a long-term commitment in the pre-negotiation period. It was the kind of move that can look smart in the moment and still carry real consequences later, especially for a team trying to stay competitive without boxing itself in.
Dosunmus role now matters well beyond one players production. For Minnesota, the question is less about whether he can help and more about how much flexibility the front office is willing to give up to keep him in place if the fit changes down the line. The Timberwolves have built enough momentum that every contract decision gets magnified, and Dosunmu sits right at the intersection of present value and future maneuverability. [Read more 🡒]