Sandro Mamukelashvili may be out of the Minnesota Timberwolves’ range before Tuesday evening at 6 PM ET. The Georgian forward could draw multiple suitors at a sizable portion of the full $15 million midlevel exception if the Toronto Raptors do not reach a new deal with him first.
He played for the Toronto Raptors this past season and posted 11.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists. He also shot 52.3 percent from the field, 38.9 percent from 3-point range and 74.7 percent from the free-throw line.
Toronto Raptors Face the Deadline
The Raptors hope to come to terms on a new deal before the marketplace opens. That is the only path that keeps him off the open market, where the price range can move fast once teams start weighing their exceptions.
The timing is tight. Before Tuesday evening at 6 PM ET, Toronto has a chance to hold the line; after that, Mamukelashvili becomes a name for multiple teams to chase.
Minnesota Timberwolves and the Price
The Minnesota Timberwolves want him as a target, but the numbers make the fit difficult. Their taxpayer mid-level exception is worth just over $6 million a year, while the reported range for Mamukelashvili reaches up to the non-taxpayer mid-level exception and a sizable piece of the full $15 million pool.
That gap is the story. A 6-foot-9 power forward who can score, rebound and pass is useful, but the Timberwolves are working with a smaller spending lane after trading Julius Randle and Naz Reid. If Toronto does not settle the deal first, the market will decide whether Minnesota can stay in the race or has to watch him land elsewhere.
