The Brooklyn Nets have the second-best odds to sign Minnesota Timberwolves‘ top reserve Nickeil Alexander-Walker in free agency.
The Nets (+295) are close second among the betting favorites, led by the Los Angeles Lakers (+235), at online sports book Bovada. Completing the list are the Golden State Warriors (+425), the Miami Heat (+525), Toronto Raptors (+900) and Oklahoma City Thunder (+230).
Getty The Minnesota Timberwolves have a big summer ahead as key players Julius Randle Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Naz Reid could all become free agents.
Alexander-Walker is among the top free agents that the Timberwolves are hoping to keep. Julius Randle and Naz Reid are the other two. But unlike Alexander-Walker, Randle and Reid have player options. If they pick up their player options, it will put the Timberwolves in a financial crunch.
Alexander-Walker is an unrestricted free agent this summer and is expected to get a substantial raise from his $4.3 million salary this past season.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker Could be the Odd Man Out
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst doesn’t see the Timberwolves bringing them all back.
“Well, I don’t think they can keep this team together,” Windhorst said on “Pardon My Take” on May 27. “The core, they can, but… so Julius Randle’s a free agent. Nickeil Alexander Walker is a free agent and Naz Reid is a free agent. He has an opt out which I’m sure he’s going to take. Ant’s contract is very large.
“I would be surprised if they were able to re-sign all three guys. I suppose they could trade another player off to keep them, maybe they can, I mean, I don’t know, but I would be kind of surprised if they could afford all three.”
If Randle and Reid return, Alexander-Walker could be the odd man out.
The 26-year-old wing is coming off a solid season with the Timberwolves, averaging 9.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists. He shot over 38% from the 3-point line in the last two seasons that makes him one of the best 3-and-D wings in the market this summer.
In Game 4 against the Thunder, the Canadian wing exploded for 23 points and six assists.
Nets’ Reported Plan on Massive Cap Space
The Nets will be the only team with at least $40 million in cap space this offseason. They can sign Alexander-Walker to a midsize contract and still have plenty of room to add more pieces in their rebuild.
One thing though that will not make is to spend their cap room on restricted free agents, according to multiple reports.
“The opportunity cost of using their $45 million in cap space on available targets such as Jonathan Kuminga, Josh Giddey, Quentin Grimes and Santi Aldama could be too high…Despite Kuminga regularly being linked to the Nets, it seems unlikely,” New York Post’s Brian Lewis wrote.
Anthony Slater of The Athletic also gathered the same intel in his report about their link to Golden State Warriors‘ restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga.
“There is not a current expectation that the Brooklyn Nets are preparing an offer sheet for Kuminga, but there are signs Brooklyn could be willing to use its open cap space as a vehicle to execute multi-team trade scenarios this summer, league sources said,” Slater wrote. “That could open up several avenues and possible suitors for Kuminga, one of the market’s most intriguing names.”
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