During Thursday’s draft the Minnesota Timberwolves traded for Portland Trail Blazers wing Martell Webster. Kevin Love Jefferson of SB Nation’s Canis Hoopus says thumbs up to the move.
Martell Webster is a good addition. He has played excellent defense at times stopping great players like Durant and Kobe . With two wings who can be defensive stoppers – Brewer, Webster, Johnson – that will be it easier for Jefferson, Love etc to stop penetration. They will have much more defensive help out on the wing. Webster is also a very good 3 point shooter. Thats why Kahn got webster, much better defender than Gomes and also an excellent 3 point shooter.
Meanwhile, site editor Stop-n-Pop sees things differently and argues the Timberwolves could have and should have done better.
Martel Webster is due roughly $14.3 mil over the next 3 years of guaranteed money before he enters his first option year. Luke Babbitt will get roughly $4.2 mil over the same period while Ryan Gomes can almost completely be wiped off the books before free agency. Not only did the Portland Trail Blazers add a dangerous three point shooter to an offense that values long distance shooting, but they did so with massive value, getting both the likely BPA at 16 and slashing money from the books. Even if they keep Gomes around, they still have a partial guarantee next year and his deal is always less than Webster’s.
The kicker in the Webster deal is the Ryan Gomes contract. Gomes’ deal is not guaranteed. It is a tremendously valuable asset in the run up for free agency. Teams like New Orleans, New York, Chicago, and Miami can trade a player for Gomes and then cut him to save money under the cap. In order for the Wolves to make the deal with Portland, they needed to send back roughly $4 mil in salary + the 16th pick.