Timberwolves Exercise Contract Options On 5 Players

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The Minnesota Timberwolves announced Wednesday they've exercised contract options five players.

The Timberwolves exercised third-year options on Zach LaVine, Adreian Payne and Andrew Wiggins. They also exercised fourth year options on Shabazz Muhammad and Gorgui Dieng. The moves guarantee that all five will be under contract with the Timberwolves through the 2016-17 season. Had the options not been exercised, all five players would've been eligible for free agency after this season.

Wiggins, one of the future cornerstones of the franchise, averaged 16.9 points and 4.6 rebounds per game last year on the way to winning NBA Rookie of the Year honors. He started every game for the Timberwolves last season.

In 133 career games, Dieng is averaging 7.5 points and 6.8 rebounds in 22.6 minutes per game.

In 77 games in his rookie season, LaVine averaged 10.1 points and 3.6 assists per game in more than 24 minutes of action. LaVine got a lot of playing experience as a rookie and played a lot of point guard after Ricky Rubio went down with an ankle injury.

In two seasons that includes 75 career games, Muhammad is averaging 8.7 points and 2.8 rebounds per game. He averaged 13.5 points in more than 22 minutes per game last season.

Payne played 32 games with the Timberwolves last year, averaging 6.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.