The Timberwolves didn’t think much of Leonard Miller or Josh Minott when they moved on from them, and at the time, that made sense.
Miller barely got on the floor in Minnesota, logging just 179 minutes over three and a half years. Minott’s run was a little longer, but not by much - 463 total minutes across three seasons. With the Wolves packed with forward depth, there was never much room for either player to climb into the rotation.
That’s what makes the current situation a little ironic. Minnesota’s roster has changed dramatically, and now the team is looking thin on the wing and up front.
With both Naz Reid and Julius Randle traded, the Wolves suddenly need help at forward. In that context, having either Miller or Minott would be useful.
To be clear, this isn’t a case where Minnesota should be second-guessing every decision it made. Trading Miller in the deal that brought back Ayo Dosunmu was a strong move, and Minott even asked for his team option to be declined. Those were straightforward calls when they happened.
But the timing is hard to ignore. Two players who were quietly pushed out of the rotation in the last 13 months have since shown more of what they can do, while the Timberwolves have found themselves in need of exactly that kind of body.
The two forwards are built in a similar mold. Both are long, athletic defenders who can disrupt plays, rebound, and finish around the rim.
Minott went 45th in 2022. Miller was taken 33rd in 2023.
And both have flashed after leaving Minnesota. Miller put up 11.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.1 stocks with the Chicago Bulls after the trade deadline. Minott averaged 7.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.1 stocks with the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets.
There are still real questions about whether either one can help a championship-level team. Minott, after all, was salary-dumped to the Nets after falling out of Boston’s rotation.
Even so, Minnesota’s current forward group is alarmingly short. Right now, the lone forwards listed are Jaden McDaniels and Trey Lyles. If the Wolves had kept Miller or Minott, there’s a strong chance one of them would be playing meaningful minutes this season.
Their mix of defense, athleticism, and usable shooting would fit what Minnesota needs now. The Wolves didn’t make some disastrous mistake by moving on from them. But with the roster stripped down the way it is, Leonard Miller and Josh Minott suddenly look a lot more valuable than they did when they left.
In Other News...
Naz Reid Could Reopen A Painful Timberwolves Trade Debate
Naz Reids move from Minnesota to Charlotte already had the feel of one of those deals that can age in a hurry, and the reason is simple: the Hornets are expected to give him a much larger role and more minutes than he had with the Timberwolves. For a player whose value has long been tied to what he can do in a bigger offensive lane, that kind of opportunity changes the conversation fast, especially for a Wolves fan base that has seen former players leave and immediately look more comfortable somewhere else.
The trade will also be judged through the lens of what Charlotte is building around LaMelo Ball, whose injury history adds another layer of uncertainty to any long-term evaluation. Minnesota did bring back draft compensation, mostly in the form of swaps, so the final verdict is not just about Reids production in a new uniform but whether the Wolves gave up a useful piece for enough future flexibility. If Reid takes off the way some around the league think he can, this is the sort of deal that could reopen an old debate in Minneapolis. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets May Be Headed For The Painful Move Wolves Fans Wanted
Minnesotas offseason addition of LaMelo Ball has already reshaped the way the Timberwolves are being viewed in the West, giving the roster a jolt of talent that feels like a clear step forward. While that move has Wolves fans thinking bigger, Denver has mostly taken the opposite path, with the Nuggets making only modest additions such as Marvin Bagley III and otherwise spending the summer trying to keep their books from getting tighter.
The real concern in Denver is not just what they added, but what they may have to give up to stay flexible. Matching the offer sheet for Spencer Jones squeezed the cap situation further, and Peyton Watsons restricted free agency still hangs over the roster picture, leaving the Nuggets with a difficult balancing act before they can even think about another upgrade. For Minnesota, the appeal is obvious: if Denver is forced into painful salary-dump decisions just to manage its cap, that is the kind of opening the Wolves have been waiting to see. [Read more 🡒]