The Minnesota Timberwolves haven't been shy to make bold moves this summer, having acquired former third overall pick LaMelo Ball in a blockbuster trade earlier in the offseason, while also agreeing to a deal with former Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga in free agency this week.
The Timberwolves have now just doubled down on their Kuminga gamble with another notable move. The front office needed to shed salary to give the former Warrior the taxpayer mid-level exception, and they've completed that by trading Josh Green and cash to the Utah Jazz for John Konchar and Cody Williams, as reported by ESPN's Shams Charania on Friday night.
Minnesota will keep Williams but waive-and-stretch Konchar's contract, leaving themselves with one available roster spot to go and sign a veteran player to a minimum contract in free agency.
Timberwolves just made their Jonathan Kuminga gamble even riskier
In what results as a four-player transaction, the Timberwolves have arguably kept the two players with the lowest floors and the highest ceilings. Green and Konchar are reliable veterans who can play solid minutes, yet don't neccessarily have the upside to be more than eighth or ninth-men in a good rotation at best.
Kuminga has shown flashes of star potential but has yet to put it together consistently across his five-year career, and now Minnesota are taking the risk of promising him a starting role despite doing so in less than a third of his career games to date.
Williams, meanwhile, has been wildly disappointing after being taken 10th overall by the Jazz two years ago. He's still only 21-years-old though, and the Timberwolves have chosen to take a risk on his potential when they could have kept Konchar instead who makes effectively the same salary this season.
The Timberwolves are expected to keep Cody Williams, the No. 10 pick in 2024, and waive-and-stretch John Konchar, sources said. They found a home for Josh Green on a Jazz team that wanted an additional 3-and-D wing; moving his $14.7 million deal gives Minnesota the salary space… https://t.co/iyikXWZjvX
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 29, 2026
Between Ball, Kuminga and Williams, Minnesota are taking a swing that has to be respected. They acknowledged they didn't have the roster to compete with the San Antonio Spurs or Oklahoma City Thunder in a seven-game series, and they're trying to close that gap even it opens up the chance of things going horribly wrong.
Timberwolves making bold moves Warriors refuse to make
In stark contrast, the Warriors are bringing back the same roster and in doing so, are acknowledging they're not contenders and that this is a gap year. They project to have significant cap space next offseason to revamp their team, but that's little consolitation for many fans when franchise superstar Stephen Curry is 38-years-old.
It's difficult to envision Golden State taking a risk on high upside prospects in free agency, let alone pulling off a major trade for a player like Ball which cost Minnesota two of their key frontcourt players in Julius Randle and Naz Reid.
The Warriors have been notoriously conservative in recent years, while the Timberwolves continue to make moves pushing for success and with the hope of keeping Anthony Edwards content going forward.
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