Dunking With Wolves
Fansided

5 reasons the Timberwolves should trade for Kyrie Irving

By Jaime Tyler

OAKLAND, CA - JUNE 12: Kyrie Irving
OAKLAND, CA - JUNE 12: Kyrie Irving /
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BLOOMINGTON, MN – JUNE 29: Tom Thibobeau introduces Jimmy Butler of the Minnesota Timberwolves to the public during a press conference at the Mall of America on June 29, 2017 in Bloomington, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)
BLOOMINGTON, MN – JUNE 29: Tom Thibobeau introduces Jimmy Butler of the Minnesota Timberwolves to the public during a press conference at the Mall of America on June 29, 2017 in Bloomington, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Number 5: ‘Win now’ is already happening

If I was king of the Timberwolves, I would’ve kept the young guys — Zach LaVine, Andrew Wiggins, and Karl-Anthony Towns — together for the next half-decade and built around them.

Well, I’m not running the Wolves, Tom Thibodeau is. And on draft night, Thibs decided to parlay LaVine, Kris Dunn, and the number-seven pick into Jimmy Butler. Experts and fans around the league lauded the Wolves for the June heist.

That move, plus the subsequent free agent signings, places the Wolves squarely in win-now mode.

Butler, KAT, and the rest of the crew are ready to compete, but not contend, right now. While the Wolves are still behind the upper echelon of the Western Conference, they can now provide their long-suffering fanbase with playoff dreams.

One player, however, still may not make a positive impact on the team, and that’s Andrew Wiggins.

Much of his hype lies in the fact that he was a blue chip prospect in high school, he was selected number one in the NBA Draft, and he has shown glimpses of superstardom during his three years with the Wolves. Those glimpses, however, have not turned into consistent play.

Irving, on the other hand, is a finished product. At 25, he’s mature enough to win now, yet young enough to play for several years beside KAT and Butler.

In June, Thibs ditched part of the youth movement for a proven veteran. He might as well go all in now and flip another young pup for a player with championship pedigree.