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Minnesota Timberwolves: 5 potential trades for Nikola Mirotic

By Brian Sampson

Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /
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MINNEAPOLIS, MN – NOVEMBER 28: Jamal Crawford #11 of the Minnesota Timberwolves pulls teammate Gorgui Dieng #5 away from the Washington Wizards during the game on November 28, 2017 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, 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. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – NOVEMBER 28: Jamal Crawford #11 of the Minnesota Timberwolves pulls teammate Gorgui Dieng #5 away from the Washington Wizards during the game on November 28, 2017 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, 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. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /

4. Gorgui Dieng and the Thunder’s first for Mirotic

This trade is built a lot like the previous one with Gibson. However, Dieng brings a little more youth to the Bulls which is obviously a direction their headed. While Dieng isn’t a young player by any means, he has solidly improved every single season in the NBA, something that shouldn’t be underestimated in the grand scheme of things.

There are some whispers Dieng is being misused in Minnesota and Thibodeau has gotten into his head, as he’s constantly looking to the bench after a mistake. A new start and a coach who knows how to utilize Dieng might vitalize his career and show us all a much different player.

If the Timberwolves acquire Mirotic in this scenario, it wouldn’t affect their bench very much. Mirotic would take Dieng’s place in the rotation, but hopefully averaging more than the 18.0 minutes a night Dieng is seeing right now.

Mirotic could even give Minnesota the option of going small in the second unit by moving to the 5 and bringing Nemanja Bjelica in at the 4. You pair those two frontcourt shooters with Jimmy Butler, Andrew Wiggins and Jamal Crawford in the backcourt and you have lots of scoring and spacing options on the floor. Let’s just forget they have to play defense though.

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