Wolves move first for depth, not superstars, as free agency gets moving

It turns out the Timberwolves got in on a D'Angelo Russell sign-and-trade after all.

In a cruel twist, the Wolves helped facilitate Russell's move to the Warriors by taking on the two ancillary players Brooklyn sent to Golden State — Shabazz Napier and Treveon Graham — along with getting an unspecified amount of cash for their troubles, a source confirmed.

The Wolves also made a move for depth, signing former Warriors center Jordan Bell to a one-year deal worth $1.6 million, a source confirmed. Bell, who had two tumultuous seasons in Golden State, can provide defense off the bench and fills a hole in the frontcourt the team created when it traded Dario Saric to get Jarrett Culver in the draft.

That added up to the sum of Wolves transactions through the first two days of free agency — low-level, under-the-radar moves that provide the team with some flexibility (both Napier and Graham are in the final years of their contracts and have non-guaranteed deals, meaning they could be potential trade pieces).

Money has been flying around in the first two days of NBA free agency. So much money. Billions, in fact, have been agreed to since Sunday. But little of it came from the Wolves.

Perhaps there's some value in zigging where others zag, but it wasn't as if the Wolves were sitting on their hands. They tried but couldn't land Russell. Their main pieces of the roster stood largely where they were previously as the league swirled around them.

Andrew Wiggins is still with the Wolves, and so are Jeff Teague and Gorgui Dieng, the most likely pieces the team would have had to move to accommodate Russell.

The Wolves still have some work to do in free agency, and some holes to fill on the roster for next season. Where do they go from here? First, it might be wise to remember President Gersson Rosas' experience in Houston.

As has been said, he will keep trying to find a way to acquire a superstar-level talent. When he was in Houston, the Rockets' acquisition of James Harden, a move that transformed the franchise, didn't come overnight. Instead, it happened after accumulating assets and finding the right opportunity to strike and acquire such talent. Finally, the stars aligned in 2012 for the Rockets to land Harden from Oklahoma City.

The Wolves are still laden with a few high-priced contracts, but as of now, they haven't sacrificed any future draft capital. But the NBA is a strange league. Injuries and player unhappiness can alter its dynamics on a dime, and even though the Wolves may have struck out now, the winds can change direction quickly. Setting themselves up for that moment is likely to be the front office's priority, as it was in Monday's trade, and those burdensome contracts become less burdensome and more movable over time if the Wolves hang on to them. Of course, that could affect the team the Wolves put on the floor next season.

Related to that, the Wolves are still waiting to see what happens with restricted free agent Tyus Jones, who had a meeting with the Wolves on Sunday. The Wolves can match any offer sheet Jones signs from another team.

A lot of guards have already come off the free-agent market, and it will be interesting to see where the market lands on Jones. It's hard to pin down where exactly Jones' value is. The Apple Valley product could command an annual salary in the $8 million range, but that could fluctuate up or down.

The Wolves still have their $9.2 million midlevel exception and their $3.6 million biannual exception to use before they reach the $132 million luxury tax. Bell's signing for the minimum helps keep them in range to fill out the roster without hitting the tax threshold.

The Wolves are expected to continue their conversations with Jones. And after missing out on Russell, the team is still in need of point guards, especially now that Derrick Rose's return isn't an option as he is set to sign a two-year deal with Detroit.

The moves Monday might have been small, but bigger moves will happen under Rosas. It's just a matter of when the timing is right.