Mike Dunleavy on Timberwolves’ radar
The Minnesota Timberwolves have Mike Dunleavy Jr. on their radar.
The NBA world was rocked to the core on Wednesday when it was announced that Chris Paul actually opted in to his contract with the Los Angeles Clippers, but was being traded to the Houston Rockets to team up with James Harden. The interesting Minnesota Timberwolves nugget of the day does not quite match the hype of one of the best point guards in the league moving teams.
Darren Wolfson of KSTP is reporting that Mike Dunleavy Jr. is on the Timberwolves’ radar.
One FA on the #Twolves radar: Mike Dunleavy Jr. Played for, and enjoys Thibs. Can help w/ shooting want. Many roster openings exist.
— Darren Wolfson (@DWolfsonKSTP) June 28, 2017
The interest in Dunleavy makes a lot of sense for the Timberwolves. Minnesota is in such desperate need of quality shooting and that is something that Dunleavy thrives at and could easily give the Wolves off of the bench.
The Timberwolves are also looking for some veteran leadership and that is something that Dunleavy can also provide for the club. Dunleavy has played in 15 NBA seasons and will turn 37 years old before next season.
This past season, Dunleavy played in 53 games with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Atlanta Hawks. Dunleavy was sent from Cleveland to Atlanta in the trade that sent Kyle Korver, another player the Wolves should be interested in, to Ohio. Dunleavy averaged 5.2 points and 2.2 rebounds per game last season.
For his career, Dunleavy averages 11.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. Dunleavy, however, has not averaged double-digit points since the 2013-14 season. From three point range, Dunleavy shot .396 last season but is shooting .377 for his career. On average, Dunleavy attempts 3.5 three point shots per game.
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Dunleavy has played with the Golden State Warriors, Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls, Cavaliers and Hawks.
The potential acquisition of Dunleavy would not be a major addition for the Wolves, but it would be very nice bench depth for the team. Dunleavy is a proven shooter and is solid from behind the arc which is something Minnesota desperately needs. With his age, Dunleavy would likely not demand too long of a contract which sets up well for a couple years down the road when Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins and Jimmy Butler will all be up for contract renewals.
It’ll be an interesting offseason for the Wolves and the Dunleavy connection is just the tip of the iceberg for what might go down.
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