The Minnesota Timberwolves have been perhaps the one franchise that has undergone the most significant transformation this offseason. They went from an afterthought in the Western Conference to being a surefire playoff team thanks to the addition of star wing Jimmy Butler and role players such as Jamal Crawford, Jeff Teague, and Taj Gibson.
Though there is plenty of new talent in Minnesota, Karl Anthony-Towns and Andrew Wiggins are still two of the most integral pieces to the Wolves having a bright future. The latter of the two is scheduled to become a restricted free agent after this season and watching Wiggins walk next summer would be a tough pill to swallow. However, according to Jerry Zgoda of The Star Tribune, Tom Thibodeau says the front office and Wiggins have already begun working on an extension:
Thibs on a forthcoming contract extension for Wiggins: "We're working on it right now."
— Jerry Zgoda (@JerryZgoda) July 19, 2017
Though Butler is a perennial all-star, he won’t be the only star swingman on the roster as Andrew Wiggins is one of the premier budding talents in the NBA. At just 22, Wiggins’ ceiling remains sky-high as the uber-athletic guard has already solidified himself as one of the more relentless two-way wing talents.
Letting Wiggins get away next offseason would be a bad idea for the Wolves and it’s clear Thibodeau and company are more than aware of how important the Kansas product is to their future. A long term big 3 of Wiggins, Butler, and Towns should make the Timberwolves a consistent Western Conference threat for years to come if everything goes as planned.
