Brandon Rush leaving stacked Golden State for Minnesota

By Staff     Jul 6, 2016

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Golden State Warriors' Brandon Rush (4) shoots against the San Antonio Spurs during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, April 7, 2016, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Brandon Rush won’t be playing for one of the most lethal offensive teams ever assembled next season.

After winning an NBA title in 2015 with Golden State, then contributing to the Warriors’ record-breaking, 73-win run through the following regular season, Rush won’t be a part of the revamped Warriors with back-to-back MVP Steph Curry, 2013-14 MVP Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.

According to various reports that surfaced Wednesday afternoon, the former Kansas star agreed to a one-year, $3.5 million contract with Minnesota.

Leaving the back-to-back Western Conference champions and a chance to win another — or multiple — rings for the Timberwolves, a franchise that hasn’t reached the playoffs since 2004, likely came down to Golden State’s salary cap situation. With the Warriors adding Durant in a free agency coup, the team couldn’t offer Rush much to stick around.

While winters in Minneapolis will be longer and colder than Rush’s last couple in the Bay area, the outlook for his new team isn’t as frigid. The Timberwolves, though years away from competing for a title, have two key young pieces in Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, as well as a new head coach, Tom Thibodeau, who posted a winning record and reached the postseason in each of his five years with Chicago.

During his eighth NBA season, Rush filled in as a starter for Golden State 25 times this past year, and averaged 7.0 points and 3.3 rebounds in 21.0 minutes, while shooting 50% from the floor and 38-for-77 (49.4%) from 3-point range. His moments in the spotlight served as a reminder that the 6-foot-6 wing can still fill an important role in the league.

While the Timberwolves have young perimeter players such as Wiggins (another former KU standout), Zach LaVine and Shabazz Muhammad, they could use a veteran defender and shooter like Rush, who turns 31 on Thursday. The veteran guard knocked down 41.4% of his 3-pointers in his final stint with the Warriors. Wiggins shot 30% from deep in 2015-16, while LaVine hit 38.9% and Muhammad made 28.9%.

Rush will find a familiar face in Minnesota, where he’ll team up with another Jayhawk, fellow 2008 national champion [Cole Aldrich, who agreed to terms with the T’wolves][1] earlier this week.

According to basketball-reference.com, Rush made $1.2 million last season with Golden State. He played for a career-best $4 million per season in his fifth and sixth years in the NBA, with the Warriors and Utah.

[1]: http://www2.kusports.com/weblogs/hawks_nba/2016/jul/3/cole-aldrich-and-darrell-arthur-first-ja/

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