Minnesota Moves Up To Draft Rob Dillingham

Keith Smith
Keith Smith, Resident NBA ExpertJune 27, 2024
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#nba #trade #rob dillingham #minnesota timberwolves #san antonio spurs
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The Minnesota Timberwolves are going for it. The San Antonio Spurs are still in asset-collection mode. That made them natural trade partners, even if this was for a rookie and not the typical win-now veteran.

Here are the particulars:

Minnesota Timberwolves acquired: draft rights to Rob Dillingham

San Antonio Spurs acquire: 2030 protected first-round pick swap, 2031 protected first-round pick

Let’s dive in!

(Note: We are analyzing this deal as it has been reported. If the trade is adjusted to include additional players or teams, we’ll adjust the analysis.)

Minnesota Timberwolves

Despite a messy ownership situation, no one can accuse the Timberwolves as going cheap on their team. Minnesota is adding about $6.3 million in salary onto their books by acquiring this additional pick. That projects to take the tax penalties from about $56 million to $87 million for next season.

Both sides of the Wolves ownership fight said they were committed to spending what it takes to keep the team a title contender. This is a sign they aren’t backing off that.

One of the holes Minnesota had to fill was at point guard. The Wolves need a backup for Mike Conley for next season, at least. And they also need a player they can develop long-term.

Enter Rob Dillingham.

The Kentucky guard isn’t a perfect player, but he’s also a 19-year-old developing point guard. What Dillingham can do right now is shoot and score. He put up 15.2 points per game, while coming off the bench and playing in the Wildcats equal-opportunity offense. Dillingham put together 48/44/80 shooting splits.

What’s really exciting is that Dillingham managed to average 3.9 assists in 23 minutes per game. That’s an impressive mark, given the circumstances.

Now, Dillingham gets to learn behind one of the steadiest point guards there is. Conley will help Dillingham learn how to run a team, while also challenging him to improve as a defender.

Yes, Minnesota increased their tax bill by about $31 million for next season. But the Timberwolves now have their point guard of the future and the long-term backcourt running mate for Anthony Edwards. That’s money well-spent, and the fact that the team did it should excite Wolves fans.

San Antonio Spurs

There was a sense in the weeks leading up to the Draft, that the Spurs didn’t want to bring two first-round rookies to an already young roster. They explored trading up, but couldn’t find a trade partner.

Instead, San Antonio took the sort of patient approach that has always served them well. The Spurs added a couple of picks that are far enough out that we have no idea of knowing what the Wolves will be by then. That’s always good business.

In addition, the Spurs wiped $6.3 million off their own books for this summer. That pushes them up to somewhere in the range of $25-$30 million in potential cap space to spend in the offseason. Not a bad night’s work, both in the short- and long-term.

 


#nba #trade #rob dillingham #minnesota timberwolves #san antonio spurs
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