He imagined himself at the Spurs, giving balls to Victor Wembanyama, and he was in fact selected by the San Antonio franchise, in 8th position. But Rob Dillingham was then transferred.
The Wolves sent a first round Draft (unprotected) in 2031 and a “swap” (protected) in 2030 to obtain this playmaker, one of the best in this Draft. For the young player, landing in Minnesota is excellent news.
“It’s a chance, really, to be here because you work all your life and you never know if you’re going to make it”, begins Kentucky alumnus. “Yes, playing with Anthony Edwards and the Wolves, who were in the conference finals, it's a chance. I'm going to learn from excellent players, from former players. They're going to help me and it'll be a plus for me.”
A cost to the finances
For the Western Conference finalists, this transfer is not nothing. Already to strengthen the back lines and offer an alternative to Mike Conley (36 years old) who will not get any younger in the years to come.
But also on a financial level. The specialist in these questionsESPNBobby Marks, has already quantified the maneuver: with the rookie's contract, the “luxury tax” to be paid for the Wolves at the end of next season increases from 56 to 84 million dollars!
So, knowing all this, is the pressure even greater when you arrive in a sportingly ambitious franchise that relies a lot on yourself?
“It shows that they believe in me, that they have confidence in my progress,” answers Rob Dillingham. “If they trust me, that’s all that matters. That's what I need, no matter the team. I will have the opportunity to play with much better players and learn from them. So thank you to the Wolves. »