John Konchar Becomes Free Agent After Timberwolves' Strategic Move
In a significant development for the Minnesota Timberwolves, John Konchar is poised to become an unrestricted free agent, effective Monday at 5 p.m. ET, following his clearance of waivers. This strategic decision by the Timberwolves is intricately linked to their objective of securing sufficient financial flexibility to finalize the acquisition of Jonathan Kuminga. The process involved a previous trade where Minnesota sent Josh Green and cash considerations to the Utah Jazz in exchange for Konchar and Cody Williams, with Green's substantial $14.7 million contract being the primary component to clear salary space.
The Timberwolves' maneuver reflects a clear financial strategy, as the team never intended for Konchar to be a part of their regular rotation. Instead, his acquisition was a pivotal step in enabling the necessary salary cap adjustments. Konchar, who is 30 years old, split the 2025-26 season between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Utah Jazz. During this period, he participated in 56 games, starting in eight of them, and recorded averages of 4.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.5 steals over 19.9 minutes per contest, while achieving a 47.2% field goal percentage.
His performance saw an uptick after joining the Jazz, where he played 26 games. With Utah, Konchar's statistics improved to 5.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.0 steals, and 1.0 block in 26.2 minutes. However, his three-point shooting efficiency dipped to 25.0% during his tenure with the Jazz. Over his seven-season NBA career, Konchar has played in a total of 363 games, with 65 starts, accumulating career averages of 4.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.5 assists, with shooting percentages of 46.9% from the field and 34.9% from beyond the arc.
The trade also brought Cody Williams, the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, to the Timberwolves. Williams is expected to remain with the team as a developmental wing, having averaged 8.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 67 games for Utah last season, despite a modest 21.4% from three-point range. The broader goal of these roster adjustments is to create the necessary cap space under the second salary-cap apron to officially sign Jonathan Kuminga, a former Warriors forward.
Last season, the Minnesota Timberwolves concluded their campaign with a 49-33 record, securing the sixth seed in the Western Conference. Their playoff journey ended in the conference semifinals against the San Antonio Spurs, where they were defeated in six games. With Anthony Edwards leading the team with 28.8 points per game, the offseason has seen a significant restructuring of the roster, building around key players like Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Jaden McDaniels, and Rudy Gobert, with the anticipated addition of Kuminga.
With John Konchar now cleared from waivers, he is free to explore opportunities with any NBA franchise, marking a new chapter in his professional basketball journey.