When the Timberwolves traded up to get Leandro Bolmaro last November in the 2020 NBA Draft (yes, it was less than a year ago... it still feels weird), the question was would it be a year or two before Bolmaro came over from Barcelona to play in the NBA.
The answer is one. Minnesota reached a deal and Bolmaro will be with the Timberwolves in training camp, the team announced Saturday.
This is not a surprise; he was expected to come over this season. He will be playing on a rookie scale contract.
Bolmaro is a 6'6" wing with potential as a secondary playmaker, he has impressive handles and passing skills. The concern was his shot, but last season in Spain — the second-best league in the world — he shot 44% from 3, averaged 6.4 points and 1.8 assists per game. He also won The Most Spectacular Player award in the league (an award previously won by Ricky Rubio, Rudy Fernandez, Sergio Rodriguez, Tomas Satoranski, and Facundo Campazzo). Bolmaro then played for his native Argentina in the Olympics.
The Timberwolves start Anthony Edwards and Malik Beasley at the two and three, and Josh Okogie will be the first wing off the bench behind them. After that, Bolmaro has a chance to be part of the rotation if the 21-year-old earns the minutes. He has good athleticism, keeps the ball moving, cuts off the ball, and will get some run this season if he can do all that off the bench. (It’s also not impossible he sees some G-League time as he adjusts to the NBA/American game after playing in Europe.)
