Derrick Williams‘ stint with the Timberwolves may be nearing its end, says Darren Wolfson of ESPN 1500 Twin Cities (Twitter links). The buzz is that a Williams trade is close, according to Wolfson, who lists the Jazz, Kings, Knicks, and Nets as possible suitors for the forward.
We typically don’t see many in-season swaps made before offseason signees become trade-eligible on December 15th, but that doesn’t mean teams can’t strike deals before then. Still, it’s not clear whether Minnesota is on the verge of finalizing a trade involving Williams, or whether the team is simply progressing to more advanced talks with potential trade partners.
A report earlier this month suggested that the Wolves had made both Williams and Alexey Shved available. Team president Flip Saunders denied that report, but Williams hasn’t been an ideal fit in Minnesota, and has been the subject of plenty of trade rumors and speculation. ESPN.com’s Chad Ford reported a week ago that the Kings had “a lot of interest” in the former second overall pick.
The Wolves picked up Williams’ 2014/15 option prior to opening night, so any team acquiring him would be on the hook for the rest of this year’s $5.02MM salary, along with next year’s $6.33MM.