The Minnesota Timberwolves traded wing Josh Green to the Utah Jazz in a multi-player transaction finalized on Saturday to clear vital salary cap space, according to reporting by the Twin Cities Pioneer Press.
Trade Mechanics and Salary Cap Relief
Minnesota orchestrated the deal to free up financial flexibility required to complete its signing of forward Jonathan Kuminga, according to the Twin Cities Pioneer Press. Green arrived in Minnesota from Charlotte in June as part of the LaMelo Ball trade. While his defensive capabilities offered potential utility, his $14.7 million salary for the upcoming season prevented the Timberwolves from offering Kuminga the taxpayer mid-level exception that the forward agreed to accept earlier in the week, the newspaper reported.
Executing the trade allowed Minnesota to avoid utilizing the waive-and-stretch provision on Green, which would have kept dead money on the books for the next three seasons, according to the Twin Cities Pioneer Press.
Player Return and Roster Adjustments
In exchange for Green, the Timberwolves received wing Cody Williams and veteran wing John Konchar from Utah, according to the Twin Cities Pioneer Press. Minnesota plans to keep Williams while waiving Konchar.
Williams, the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft and brother of Oklahoma City Thunder star wing Jalen Williams, has yet to establish a consistent role at the NBA level, the Twin Cities Pioneer Press noted. At 21 years old, Williams carries a team option worth $7.7 million for the 2027–28 season, an option the Timberwolves are currently unlikely to exercise, according to the newspaper.
By waiving Konchar, Minnesota incurs a dead cap hit of just $2 million per year rather than the nearly $5 million per year that would have resulted from stretching Green’s contract, the Twin Cities Pioneer Press reported.