The Minnesota Timberwolves took an ambitious swing at LeBron James this offseason. When the four-time NBA champion chose the Philadelphia 76ers instead, Minnesota was left to finish reshaping a roster that already looks dramatically different from the one that opened last season.
The most obvious remaining need is not a starter. It is reliable frontcourt depth.
Jaden McDaniels, a 2024 NBA All-Defensive Second Team selection, is penciled in as Minnesota’s starting power forward after the Timberwolves traded Julius Randle to the Brooklyn Nets and Naz Reid to the Charlotte Hornets during an offseason that also brought former All-Star point guard LaMelo Ball to Minneapolis.
The Timberwolves signed Trey Lyles, but the veteran is generally viewed as a rotation piece rather than someone expected to absorb all the minutes vacated by Randle and Reid.
Minnesota also has little room to maneuver financially. The Wolves sit approximately $4.4 million below the second-apron hard cap and have only the $3.9 million veteran minimum exception available.
That helps explain why two lower-cost forwards have surfaced as potential targets.
“They still have an open roster spot to fill,” NBA insider Brett Siegel said Thursday on the Clutch Scoops livestream. “And real quickly, two names that we’ve heard that have some kind of rumblings to the Timberwolves right now: Jeremy Sochan and Trendon Watford. Those are two names to keep an eye on as these kind of reserve off-the-bench type roles for the Timberwolves.”
Jeremy Sochan Could Strengthen Timberwolves’ Defensive Identity
GettyJeremy Sochan is one of two available forwards linked to the Timberwolves as Minnesota searches for additional frontcourt depth.
Sochan would be the more natural fit on the defensive end.
The 6-foot-8, 230-pound forward has the size and mobility to defend across several positions and has spent meaningful stretches of his career functioning as a small-ball center. That versatility could appeal to coach Chris Finch, who would have the option of using Sochan beside Rudy Gobert or as the back-line defender in smaller lineups.
His path to free agency has been unusual. San Antonio waived the 2022 first-round pick in February, and he later joined the New York Knicks on a one-year deal.
Sochan barely played during New York’s championship run, appearing for three first-half minutes in Game 4 of the NBA Finals and only at the end of Game 5. His most visible contribution came from the sideline, where he repeatedly chirped at former Spurs teammate Victor Wembanyama.
The limited postseason role does not erase his experience. Sochan has made 149 career starts and remains only 23, giving Minnesota a chance to add a developmental defender without committing major salary.
Trendon Watford Offers a Different Kind of Frontcourt Help
Getty Trendon Watford, formerly of the Philadelphia 76ers, boxes out former Miami Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. Watford has been named as one of the Minnesota Timberwolves’ options for frontcourt depth.
Watford would bring more playmaking and less defensive versatility.
The Philadelphia 76ers declined his team option after he averaged 6.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 16.3 minutes across 53 games last season.
Hamstring and adductor injuries slowed him early, and his perimeter shooting never recovered. Watford made only 10 of 50 3-point attempts, finishing at 20% from beyond the arc.
Still, there were flashes of why Philadelphia valued his skill set. Watford recorded the first triple-double of his career on Nov. 8, finishing with 20 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists in a victory over Toronto.
He ultimately fell out of Nick Nurse’s playoff rotation, with younger players such as Adem Bona and Justin Edwards moving ahead of him.
For Minnesota, the decision would come down to roster preference. Sochan would add defense, positional flexibility and youth. Watford would offer another ball-handler who could create offense in second units built around Ball and Anthony Edwards.
Neither would replace Randle or Reid by himself. But with McDaniels set to start and Lyles positioned as a reserve, Minnesota’s final roster spot appears likely to be used on another affordable forward capable of giving Finch one more workable option.
Timberwolves Linked to 2 Frontcourt Options After Missing on LeBron James