Wolves have a path to D'Angelo Russell, but should they pursue him?

NBA free agents can begin verbally agreeing to contracts Sunday, and the big question is whether the Timberwolves can make a serious run at point guard D'Angelo Russell, a restricted free agent.

Today we ask: Is that a good idea?

First take: Michael Rand

A colleague of ours, when recalling a conversation he had with a friend about another local team's roster construction, conjured up a quote from the movie "Jurassic Park": "Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should."

That feels like an apt summary of a lot of sports transactions and bears examination when it comes to Russell. A lot of energy is being spent trying to figure how the Wolves could clear cap space. But is Russell really worth it, even if they can?

Russell set career highs in pretty much every category last season, including 21.1 points and 7 assists per game — a breakout fourth-year campaign by many measures that included an All-Star selection.

But even Russell at his best (so far) didn't move the needle in some other advanced stat areas. He finished just 21st among NBA point guards in real plus-minus rating last year and was No. 11 in player efficiency rating among point guards (the Wolves' Derrick Rose was No. 10 in that latter category).

At the time the Rockets traded for him in 2012, Harden was hardly a no-brainer MVP-caliber player. As the sixth man in Oklahoma City there were questions concerning whether he benefited from playing against other teams' second units. His career trajectory, while promising, wasn't set in stone. But the Rockets made a commitment to go get him. This seems like a similar situation.

It feels like the Wolves have identified Russell as someone they are willing to make a few sacrifices in and around the salary cap to go and get because his promise is tantalizing. And he's already taken a big step toward the end last season.

Fit counts for a lot in basketball and surrounding Russell with his good buddy in Karl-Anthony Towns and an analytically minded front office that will help him improve some of those efficiency numbers seems like a good fit.

Rand: I agree in spirit with the Harden comparison, and I understand the Wolves have to be tactical in acquiring stars because they aren't going to be in position to lure many here. Russell could be an exception given his friendship with Towns.

But Harden was already emerging as an analytics darling even in OKC. He was No. 1 among point guards in true shooting percentage the year before he was traded. Russell was tied for 47th — among point guards! — in the same stat last year. The Harden comparisons are smart in some ways, but they don't hold up in others.

I'm guessing Rosas and Co. see something in Russell they can work with because otherwise they're likely going to be giving up a lot to get him.

The subsequent question here is ... does Andrew Wiggins still call Minnesota home if Russell ends up coming here?

Rand: Speaking of a guy who doesn't fare well with the analytics crowd …

Final word: Hine