Timberwolves Nightly
More
PodcastVideoSalary capDraft picksHistory
The North Star Report · Cap watch

Minnesota's Payroll Is Past the Tax Line, and the Picks Are Spoken For

The Wolves carry $215.3M into Wednesday's opener in Miami, with swaps and protections limiting the way out.

Anthony Edwards$48.9M this season; 28.8 points a night in 61 games last season
By the Timberwolves Nightly Desk · Monday, October 19

Minnesota opens the 2026-27 season Wednesday at Miami with a payroll of $215.3 million, past both the $200.4 million tax line and the $209.0 million first apron. The roster is built around Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball, and the books leave little room to rebuild it.

Anthony Edwards of the Timberwolves
Anthony Edwards. Photo: Bryan Berlin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Between Two Aprons

The salary cap is $165.0 million. Minnesota is well beyond it, and beyond the tax line and the first apron as well. The second apron sits at $221.7 million, and the Wolves have not reached it. That is the margin they have left, and it is not a wide one. The five biggest contracts make up most of the load: Edwards at $48.9 million, Ball at $40.8 million, Gobert at $36.5 million, McDaniels at $26.2 million and Ayo Dosunmu at $19.3 million. Donte DiVincenzo is next at $12.5 million, and he is out with an estimated return of April 2, 2027. Last season Minnesota went 49-33 and ranked eighth in defensive rating. This is the price of keeping that group together.

The Bill Next Year

Little comes off the books in 2027-28. DiVincenzo's $12.5 million does not appear on the schedule. Neither do Bones Hyland and Trey Lyles. But the top of the sheet rises: Edwards to $52.3 million, Ball to $43.6 million, Gobert to $38.0 million, McDaniels to $28.0 million and Dosunmu to $20.9 million. Cody Williams moves to $7.7 million and Terrence Shannon Jr. to $5.1 million. The one decision point is Jonathan Kuminga, who holds a $6.4 million player option. At that price, his choice affects the margins more than the structure. Relief is thin, and what the Wolves save from DiVincenzo's expiring deal is likely to be absorbed by raises elsewhere.

Picks Already Spoken For

The draft capital offers no easy exit either. Minnesota holds swaps on its 2027 and 2028 first-round picks, and its 2029 and 2030 firsts are protected. The second-rounders are largely gone: 2027 is owed to Portland, 2028 to Denver and 2030 to Oklahoma City. The 2029 second goes to Charlotte on a condition. A club trying to add salary or shed it usually pays in picks, and these are already encumbered. Chris Finch's group has reached two straight conference finals on the strength of its defense. Staying there depends on that group, since the cap sheet gives the front office few other tools.

What is the Timberwolves' payroll for 2026-27?

Minnesota's payroll is $215.3 million. That is past the $200.4 million tax line and the $209.0 million first apron, but under the $221.7 million second apron.

Who are the highest-paid Timberwolves?

Anthony Edwards leads at $48.9 million, followed by LaMelo Ball at $40.8 million, Rudy Gobert at $36.5 million, Jaden McDaniels at $26.2 million and Ayo Dosunmu at $19.3 million.

By the Timberwolves Nightly Desk, written from the club's data and the reports on file, with every name and number checked against them. How the desks work.

More from The North Star Report

all Timberwolves news →
Morning · Mon, Oct 19Wolves Cut to the Bone and Turn to a Wednesday Night in MiamiWeek ahead · Sun, Oct 18Minnesota Opens With a Thinner Roster and a Real ScoreboardCap watch · Fri, Oct 16The Bill for Minnesota's Remade Roster Comes Due in ChicagoCap watch · Mon, Oct 12Above the Apron: What Minnesota's Payroll Buys and Owes