While there are still a handful of interesting names on the list of available free agents, only one of those players is a restricted free agent. Jordan McLaughlin, who finished the 2019/20 season on a two-way deal with the Timberwolves, is the lone player left on the market of the 31 who initially received qualifying offers in November.
It seems likely that McLaughlin will still end up with the Timberwolves, since most teams are prepared to start training camp and aren’t looking to sign an RFA to an offer sheet. However, Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News tweets that the team and McLaughlin still seem to be “a bit apart” on a new deal. As a result, the 24-year-old guard has yet to report to the team’s facility for camp.
Here’s more from around the Northwest:
- When Jerami Grant left Denver for Detroit last month, reports indicated that the Nuggets had expected to re-sign the forward and were caught off guard when he chose the Pistons. The Nuggets’ president of basketball operations, Tim Connelly, confirmed as much this week, telling reporters that “it was a bit surprising and disappointing” that the team couldn’t get a deal done with Grant (Twitter link via Kendra Andrews of The Athletic).
- Newly-signed Nuggets big man Isaiah Hartenstein said he chose to join Denver because he’ll get an opportunity to have an immediate role on a contending team, tweets Mike Singer of The Denver Post.
- After a whirlwind offseason of roster moves in Oklahoma City, 2018 second-round pick Hamidou Diallo suddenly finds himself as the Thunder‘s longest-tenured player, writes Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman.
- Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson spent less than a full season in Utah before committing to a four-year contract with the team this fall. As Aaron Falk of UtahJazz.com writes, Clarkson’s brief stay in Utah convinced him a long-term deal was the right move. “It’s crazy how fast I connected with these guys and this group,” Clarkson said. “… The guys have been great. The relationship with Coach (Quin Snyder). Overall, just the fit. The city has been great to me as well. I’m just feeling comfortable, peace of mind.”
McLaughlin was really good before hiatus he deserves a roster spot, bulls/warriors/Memphis should consider it for their 2nd unit …
McLaughlin woyld probably like out of the crowded Wolves backcourt, and Jeremi Grant probably wants away from filling in around MPorter doing limited things.
Barton, Hampton, Harris, Howard, Morris, and Murray give the Nuggets some EXCELLENT depth at the guard position..
Then theyll have Porter Jr., Green, Milsap, Dozier, and Cancar as their 3/4s, and Jokic, Bol, Hartenstein, and Nnaji as their true bigs.
Denver is stacked with young and upcoming players, along with solid role players that can still progress and develop further..
Adding Hampton, Howard, Green, and Nnaji just restocks this team even more, and gives them four more solid players to grow with their main core. Not to mention, Hampton was once projected as a top 5 draft pick, and he has a huge upside. Plus, Howard can just flat out score, and could prove to be a real spark plug off the bench..
Tim Connelly has quietly and quickly become one of the best in the league, and he’s especially excellent at drafting and identifying talent in the later rounds. Good for him and good for Denver, but unfortunately, that’s bad news for everyone else in the West!!