Andrew Wiggins’ contract extension took long enough.
First, Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor said his team would offer a five-year max deal, but then said he wanted to look Wiggins in the eyes first. When the offer was finally on the table, Wiggins fired his agent then delayed signing.
Finally, it’s done.
This is a five-year max extension. If so, the value won’t be known until the salary cap is set next summer, but it projects be worth $146.45 million.
Questions remain: Does the deal contain a player option? Is Wiggins eligible for the super max if he makes an All-NBA team this year? Will an agent receive a commission on the deal? And of course, is Wiggins worth it?
A max deal is the only way Minnesota could have secured Wiggins now for the next five years. Any lower salary, and the extension length would have been limited to four years. There’s value in locking up a young talent for so long (if, of course, the extension doesn’t include a player option).
But Wiggins’ defense and rebounding are far from commensurate with his athleticism. A volume scorer with good efficiency for his usage, Wiggins doesn’t distribute enough. He’s also too reliant on mid-range jumpers.
Don’t get me wrong. Wiggins is already pretty good, and he has the physical tools to become much more. But he’ll need to expand his game to justify this extension.