What happens between now and the June 23-24 NBA Draft could have cascading effects on the Minnesota Timberwolves. Will the Wolves trade Rudy Gobert and/or Julius Randle? Are they big-game hunting, and if they are, are their cards good enough to avoid losing an all-in hand?
Time will tell, but the early rumblings from the NBA rumor mill could serve as indicators that Minnesota might have the small stack while playing at a table with rich opponents.
- Miami, Boston, and Washington reportedly want Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Atlanta, Houston, and Portland are believed to be interested in Jaylen Brown
- Detroit may be interested in Kawhi Leonard
- Dallas might prefer to move forward with Kyrie Irving
“We know our competition is not going to sit still, and nor will we,” Wolves president Tim Connelly said during his end-of-season press conference.
Giannis reportedly would prefer to stay in the Eastern Conference, where his chances of reaching the NBA Finals might be higher since he wouldn’t have to contend with juggernauts in the West like the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder.
Masai Ujuri, the new president running the show in Dallas, is on record saying he’s interested in seeing what Irving and 19-year-old Cooper Flagg can accomplish together.
“I dream like you dream, man. All of us dream. I want to see that,” Ujiri said on May 5. “I think it’s going to be pretty cool, and I know it’s going to help Cooper because Kyrie likes to play off the ball, too. This is going to be interesting for us.”
If the Wolves can’t get Giannis or Kyrie, the pressure will increase to make the right moves because other teams in the Western Conference might wheel and deal for other stars who push them ahead of Minnesota. For example, what if Portland or Houston trades for Jaylen Brown?
“There is a belief in some corners of the league that Atlanta, Houston and Portland all have legitimate trade interest in Brown,” Marc Stein wrote Monday via The Stein Lein.
If Portland got Brown, they might have a four-headed monster with Brown, Deni Avdija, Jrue Holiday, and Damian Lillard, who is set to return after missing last season with a torn Achilles tendon.
If Houston trades for Brown, with Alperen Sengun as the prized player going to Boston, they could be extremely dangerous with Brown, Kevin Durant, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith, and Fred VanVleet, who missed all of last season with a torn ACL in his right knee.
Who does that leave for Minnesota? Among the logical possibilities to settle the point guard dilemma are Ja Morant, Dejounte Murray, and Derrick White. However, all of them come with questions.
Morant hasn’t been healthy or stayed out of trouble since 2022-23. White might not even be available. Murray played in 14 games to finish last season after a long recovery from a torn Achilles tendon that he suffered during the 2024-25 season.
LaMelo Ball? There are no signs that Charlotte plans to trade him, so you can probably cross his name off the list. Darius Garland? Perhaps, but only if the Clippers keep the No. 5 pick and draft a point guard. If the Clippers trade the pick, it’ll be clear that they’re looking to win now with Leonard and Garland part of the core. Tyrese Maxey? Fat chance. Andrew Nembhard? Indiana went to the Finals with him playing shooting guard next to Tyrese Haliburton, and they’re not punting on that revival when Haliburton returns from his Achilles injury next season.
Do you see where this is going? The Timberwolves may be forced to settle for the second tier of players on the trade market if everything above rings true. Things could change, but that’s how things appear to be trending at the moment.
Perhaps that’s a blessing in disguise because Minnesota has to toe the line of adding marquee talent without stripping the roster of too much depth. In the West, depth is a mandate to contend with the Spurs and Thunder. How Connelly threads the needle without sacrificing depth and draft equity is critical.
“I’d rather get fired for trying than sit here and just do the job in survival mode,” Connelly said. “We’re not going to have a blind appetite for risk just because. But until you win it all, I think you’ve got to just keep playing hands. If we mess up, we’ll mess up loudly. We’re going to try to be as aggressive as possible.”
The next month could be crazy in the league, and the Wolves should be in the thick of the madness.
