The Wolves have a decision to make on two of the young pieces on their team. Both Gorgui Dieng and Shabazz Muhammad are set to be restricted free agents following the conclusion of next season.
As such, Minnesota has the ability to sign the two young players to extensions. However, it does not appear they are in any hurry to do so, per Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune:
Thibs also said no meaningful negotiations on extensions for Gorgui & Bazz, don't think he's in any hurry before end of October deadline
— Jerry Zgoda (@JerryZgoda) September 21, 2016
If the Wolves are unable to reach a deal with the players, they would become restricted free agents next summer. That would leave them able to sign large offer sheets from other teams. Whether the Wolves would feel pressured to match those offers or let key cogs in their rebuild leave, the situation would be a messy one.
Dieng seems like the candidate to get a deal done first. He is probably the better player right now and his defensive ability is key for the team’s ceiling. Additionally, big men are usually more highly coveted than their small counterparts.
Muhammad, meanwhile, took a while to get going in his young career. Last season, however, he took a major step forward, becoming a reliable scorer off the bench. With the cap still rising, he could see himself getting a big offer based solely on that skill. According to Shabazz (in an interview with Phillip Barnett of Uproxx) he has already received confirmation that he will be a big part of the team moving forward:
Definitely. [Head coach Tom Thibodeau] told me that I’m going to be a really big part of this team. I’m going to be a big part of our offense off the bench and that he’s going to put me in a lot of spots where I can compete and score the ball. That’s something I’m really excited to get down and start doing for our team — really start helping us get back above .500 and have a really good season.
Regardless, there is still more than one month remaining until the deadline to get deals done. If the Wolves feel strongly about either of the Shabazz Muhammad and Gorgui Dieng duo, they would be wise to lock them up before then.
