Timberwolves Trade Out of Second Round, Sign Undrafted Center Jesse Edwards
Timberwolves Trade Out of Second Round, Sign Undrafted Center Jesse Edwards
Following an eventful round one — trading into the top-eight, selecting Rob Dillingham, and selecting Terrence Shannon Jr. at No. 27 — the Minnesota Timberwolves managed to navigate out of the second round Thursday afternoon. They entered the day with the No. 37 pick but traded it along with Wendell Moore Jr. to the Detroit Pistons for the No. 53 pick. The Wolves then traded the No. 53 pick to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for a future second-rounder and the No. 57 pick, which they rerouted to the Toronto Raptors for cash.
There were still plenty of quality prospects left on the board heading into the second round, but it was obvious Minnesota had zero desire to make second-half selections. If Tim Connelly and his staff drafted a player at No. 37, chances are, they would have signed them to a multi-year rookie contract. The Wolves got even more expensive when they traded up for Rob Dillingham, so not making an early second-round selection potential saved them from further increasing the tax bill for the team.
What the Wolves did do, however, is bring in an undrafted rookie. Shortly after the draft, Luuk von Berg of ESPN NL reported that West Virginia big man Jesse Edwards was signing a two-way contract with the Wolves.
Bringing a player in on a two-way contract is much more affordable and practical than signing them to a rookie contract, as a two-way deal doesn’t count against the salary cap. According to the Sports Business Classroom, two-way contracts pay half the value of a rookie minimum salary (estimated at $580,272 for the 2024-25 season, pro-rated based on the in-season signing date). Not only will signing Edwards — who will not get much, if any, playing time at an NBA level, barring injury — to a two-way contract save money, but it will also allow him to develop with the Iowa Wolves while still being able to pop up on the NBA roster in 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 one additional two-way spot, with Luka Garza and Daishen Nix currently pending as a restricted free agent.
Edwards hails from Amsterdam and played five years at the collegiate level, four with Syracuse and one with West Virginia. In his final season, he averaged 15 points, eight rebounds, and 1.7 blocks on 61.3% shooting from the floor through 23 games (starting in 22) for the Mountaineers this year.
Here is a look at his career stats via sportsreference.com:
The 7-foot big man equipped with a 7-foot-5 wingspan is a spry and energetic prospect. He thrives in pick-and-roll sets and spotting up in the dunker’s spot. The potential oozes off Edwards, who is 24 years old, on both ends of the floor. He moves his feet well for a player his size and is a defensive force around the basket.
Jessed impressed in predraft workouts, according to HoopsHype, but he is a very raw prospect who still lacks the necessary skills at an NBA level, such as spacing the floor or a soft touch around the rim, which is most likely the reason he went undrafted. Still, he could morph himself into a quality rim-running threat who lives above the rim.
Edwards is built similarly to Rudy Gobert, and the two have a similar play style, so it will do him well to spend as much time working with Gobert and picking the four-time Defensive Player of the Year’s mind whenever he is up with the NBA squad.