Minnesota Timberwolves’ Contracts Toward Frontcourt Shows They’ve Struggled Since Losing Jimmy Butler

The Minnesota Timberwolves signing Naz Reid to a three-year, $42 million contract means the team is paying around $90 million between him, Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert for the 2023-24 season.

Their contract totals are nearly $443 million, per Spotrac’s Michael Ginnitti. These expensive deals could show the team trying to get frontcourt production since losing Jimmy Butler.

Butler played in Minnesota from 2017 to 2018 but tension with management led to him being traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. Butler was seen as a locker room cancer at the time but is now praised in hindsight. Since his departure, Minnesota has won just three playoff games, while Butler has taken the Miami Heat to the Finals twice (2020, 2023) and ascended his game to Hall of Fame consideration.

The Timberwolves are paying their center-trio of Rudy, KAT and Naz around $443M combined, via @spotrac 🤯 pic.twitter.com/xKCo1wsdIb
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 25, 2023

This isn’t a slight to Towns and Gobert, who are both excellent players. Towns is a three-time All-Star and among the top center/forwards in the league. Gobert is a three-time Defensive Player of the Year that provides good paint protection with decent scoring and consistent rebounding. Reid certainly earned his contract after a solid season, especially filling in while Towns was injured. However, the team’s lack of postseason success has many believing Butler’s departure hurt them.

His leadership and offensive production fueled Miami’s ascension from a playoff team to a borderline championship contender each season. Hopefully Minnesota can find similar success in the coming years. The large contracts and draft capital to acquire Gobert can only be justified with a championship at this point.

Jayden Armant is a contributor to Inside the Heat. He is a student at Howard University. He can be reached at jaydenshome14@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @jaydenarmant.