LeBron James has interest from the Timberwolves but they know the odds aren’t in their favor

The Minnesota Timberwolves reached out to LeBron James after he opted out of his Lakers deal. And sure, the idea of pairing the all-time leading scorer with Anthony Edwards sounds fun. But here’s the thing the Wolves already know: they are not even close to being the favorites here.

According to a league source cited by The Athletic, Minnesota is one of several teams that expressed interest in the 41-year-old superstar. But the Timberwolves do not believe they are anywhere near the front of the line for James’s services. The main reason is their limited spending power. They could try to trade Josh Green on his expiring $14.7 million contract to free up more cap space or add a power forward, but the team also genuinely likes what Green brings. So they are weighing that against the long shot of landing James.

The financial reality check

Look, the Wolves would have to get creative to make this work. They do not have the kind of cap room that teams like the Warriors, Cavaliers, Heat or Spurs have. Even those teams will need to make some financial adjustments. But Golden State appears to already be clearing a path. Draymond Green turned down his $27 million player option for next season, which gives the Warriors a straightforward way to take on James’s contract. They have also been linked to a potential trade for Anthony Davis from the Wizards.

LeBron averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds last season while shooting 51.5 percent from the field. That made it 23 straight years he has averaged at least 20 points per game. He is still elite. But he is also reportedly in no rush to make a decision, and more teams are expected to throw their names in the hat over the coming days.

Where Minnesota fits in the race

So the Timberwolves are interested. They have made the call. But they are realistic about where they stand. Behind the Warriors. Behind Cleveland. Behind Miami. Behind San Antonio. That is the pecking order right now. And unless something shifts dramatically in their favor, Minnesota will likely remain the team that kicked the tires but could not close the deal.