After an eventful first round (trading up in the top eight, selecting Rob Dillingham, and selecting Terrence Shannon Jr. at No. 27), the Minnesota Timberwolves managed to get out of the second round on Thursday afternoon. They began the day with the 37th pick, but traded it and Wendell Moore Jr. to the Detroit Pistons for the 53rd pick. The Wolves then traded the 53rd pick to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for a future second-rounder and the 57th pick, which they traded to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for cash.
Lots of changes for the Wolves in the second round. They were told they got a second future to drop from 53rd to 57th, then received cash considerations for 57th.
Moves that made sense after selecting two players in the first round on Wednesday.
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) June 28, 2024
There were still plenty of quality prospects left on the board heading into the second round, but it was obvious that Minnesota had no desire to make second-half picks. If Tim Connelly and his team drafted a player 37th overall, chances are they would have signed him to a multi-year rookie contract. The Wolves became even more expensive when they moved up in the Draft to sign Rob Dillingham, so not making an early second-round pick saved them from further increasing the team’s tax bill.
What the Wolves did do, however, was bring in one undrafted rookie. Shortly after the draft, KeynoteUSA NL’s Luuk von Berg reported that West Virginia center Jesse Edwards would sign a two-way contract with the Wolves.
Signing a player to a two-way contract is much more affordable and practical than signing him to a rookie contract since a two-way deal does not count against the salary cap. According to Sports Business Classroom, two-way contracts pay half the value of the rookie minimum salary (estimated at $580,272 for the 2024-25 season, prorated based on signing date during the season). Signing Edwards, who won’t see much, if any, playing time at the NBA level barring injury, will not only save money on a two-way contract, but also allow him to develop with the Iowa Wolves while he’s still able to appear on an NBA roster between games/practices.
When Edwards’ signing becomes official, Minnesota will have him and Jaylen Clark on the books for two-way contracts next season. That gives the team an additional two-way spot, with Luka Garza and Daishen Nix currently pending as restricted free agents.
Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via /Keynote USA/Getty Images
Edwards is a native of Amsterdam and played five years of college ball, four with Syracuse and one with West Virginia. In his senior season, he averaged 15 points, eight rebounds and 1.7 blocks on 61.3 percent shooting from the field in 23 games (starting in 22) for the Mountaineers this year.
Here’s a look at his career stats via sportsreference.com:
Screenshot via Sports Reference
The 7-foot big man equipped with a 7-foot-5 wingspan is a lively and energetic prospect. He thrives in pick-and-roll sets and in the dunker spot. Potential oozes from the 24-year-old Edwards on both ends of the floor. He moves his feet well for a player his size and is a defensive force around the basket.
According to HoopsHype, Jessed impressed in pre-draft workouts, but he is a very inexperienced prospect who still lacks the skills needed at the NBA level, such as spacing the floor or having a soft touch near the rim, which is likely the reason why that was not selected. Still, he could develop into a quality rim-running, above-the-rim threat.
Edwards has a similar build to Rudy Gobert, and the two have a similar style of play, so it will be good for him to spend as much time as possible working with Gobert and picking the four-time Defensive Player of the Year every time he’s with an NBA team.
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