Written by ESPN News Staff at ESPN.com
The Minnesota Timberwolves are keen to lock up guard Andrew Wiggins to ensure he is a cornerstone for their future.
Wiggins and the Timberwolves are engaged in contract negotiations on a five-year extension that would be worth nearly $148 million, according to Timberwolves coach and president of basketball operations Tom Thibodeau.
“We’re working on it right now,” Thibodeau said Wednesday during a news conference to introduce Jamal Crawford.
Under the collective bargaining agreement, NBA teams can have two players on designated rookie-scale extensions. Such deals must be agreed to by one day before the start of the season.
The extension would take effect in 2018-19 with a starting salary of $25.5 million that season. The sides could agree to terms where, if Wiggins made an all-NBA team or was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2017-18, that figure would jump to $30.6 million.
Wiggins set career highs in points (23.6 PPG) and assists (2.3 APG) last season. The 22-year-old has started all but one game for Minnesota over the past three seasons.
Last week, Thibodeau told ESPN that Wiggins’ goal for the 2017-18 season should be to become a “complete player” and said trade pickup Jimmy Butler could help with that development.
Beyond Wiggins’ long-term deal, the Timberwolves also want to sign two wing players and a backup point guard during the offseason to fill out the roster.
“There are a number of guys we’re talking to, and they’re waiting,” Thibodeau said. “So you’re trying to weigh all that out. It’ll be interesting to see everything unfolds.”
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