Kofi Inkoom
Minnesota is trading Wendell Moore Jr. and the No. 37 pick in today’s Day 2 of the NBA Draft to Detroit, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic. In return, Detroit will be sending the No.53 pick to the Timberwolves, Charania adds.
Wendell Moore Jr., who was drafted 26th overall in the 2022 NBA Draft, has shown glimpses of potential in his early career. Standing at 6’5” and weighing 215 pounds, he played as a shooting guard for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
During the 2023-2024 season, Moore averaged 0.7 points, 0.5 rebounds, and 0.2 assists per game, with a Player Efficiency Rating (PER) of 10.81.
Despite limited playing time, his versatility and defensive capabilities make him a valuable asset for the Pistons as they look to develop young talent.
Minnesota will be shedding Moore’s $2.5 million salary and plans to sign the No. 53 pick for less than they would have paid for the No. 37 pick.
This is a cost-cutting strategy, especially after the Wolves added two rookie-scale contracts to their roster last night. It’s a clever way to manage Minnesota’s cap and tax situation, Yahoo Sports Jake Fischer notes.
For the Pistons, taking on Moore Jr. will reduce their cap space by about $1.4 million. Before the trade, they had an estimated $64.4 million in cap space, which has now decreased to $63.0 million, according to Keith Smith of Spotrac.