Timberwolves need to avoid foolish solution to forward problem

Dunking with Wolves · Jul 22, 2026 15:30 · 3 min read

Timberwolves need to avoid foolish — Mar 10, 2020; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Mario Hezonja (44) reacts after making a three point basket against the Phoenix Suns during the fourth quarter at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

While the Timberwolves desperately need a forward, signing Mario Hezonja wouldn't make sense.

It remains unclear how the Minnesota Timberwolves will address their glaring power forward void. One thing is for sure, though: Minnesota desperately needs a forward who can play 20 or so quality minutes per game alongside Jaden McDaniels.

Recently, it was announced that former lottery pick Mario Hezonja is primed to return to the NBA after five years of playing overseas. Jack Borman of Locked on Wolves noted that Hezonja and Trey Lyles were teammates for Real Madrid last season. He further mentioned that Tim Connelly has never been afraid to think outside the box, and his team has done extensive scouting in Europe.

With all due respect, signing Hezonja would be a nonsensical solution to the Wolves' forward hole. Barring this being paired with a late offseason trade, the Wolves would be committing to a makeshift forward rotation until the trade deadline. For a team with title aspirations, this is an unwise proposition.

The Timberwolves should avoid signing Mario Hezonja

Frankly, there's a reason Hezonja has been out of the league for five years: he's simply not very good. In five NBA seasons, Hezonja averaged 6.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.3 assists on 41.7/31.9/81.2 shooting splits. Hezonja's blend of subpar shooting and creation is a recipe for NBA failure. The chances of a 31-year-old rejuvenating his career feel unlikely at best.

Lyles was already an international flier who could earn a rotational role, but even despite the Timberwolves' lack of forward depth is still more likely to have an end-of-bench role. Minnesota can't make that same gamble with Hezonja.

Now, in all fairness, the Timberwolves aren't in an easy situation. They only have access to a veteran minimum contract, and don't have many clear trade candidates. Furthermore, regarding a trade, the Timberwolves have to wait until September 9 to aggregate Josh Green's salary.

Despite this challenging reality, I would avoid Hezonja.

While I won't rule out a trade, signing a minimum contract player is the easiest solution. I wouldn't say many of these options would have fans doing backflips, but signing someone like Georges Niang could be an ideal stopgap solution. Niang can space the floor and serve as a connective forward, contributing a solid 20 or so minutes a game while allowing the Wolves to pursue a higher-end upgrade at the deadline.

Seeing if they can pry away Spencer Jones from the Denver Nuggets or coax Jonathan Kuminga to take a minimum are two other options worth exploring. Jeremy Sochan could be a fun gamble on a talented young player, though his spacing is problematic.

My point is that the Wolves have some better (albeit not totally thrilling) options to fill their forward void in free agency than rolling the dice on Hezonja. And who knows, maybe Connelly has a secret trade lined up. Whatever way you slice it, passing on Hezonja's NBA comeback bid would be best for the Timberwolves.