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NBA Trade Deadline: Every Timberwolves trade rumor from this week

By Ben Beecken

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 31: Lou Williams #23 of the LA Clippers and DeAndre Jordan #6 of the LA Clippers chat between points in the fourth quarter at Staples Center on December 31, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 31: Lou Williams #23 of the LA Clippers and DeAndre Jordan #6 of the LA Clippers chat between points in the fourth quarter at Staples Center on December 31, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images) /
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TORONTO, ON – JANUARY 30: Jamal Crawford (Photo by Claus Andersen/ Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – JANUARY 30: Jamal Crawford (Photo by Claus Andersen/ Getty Images) /

Jamal Crawford, Shabazz Muhammad, Gorgui Dieng, and more…

As previously noted, the most valuable asset that the Timberwolves will be willing to trade is the first-round draft pick owed to them from Thunder, by way of the Jazz. But in order to free up a roster spot and match salaries, there would have to be an actual player involved in any trade.

That leaves Shabazz Muhammad, Gorgui Dieng, Jamal Crawford, Cole Aldrich, and Nemanja Bjelica as realistic, tradeable assets that the Wolves would consider moving. Up until this week, it wsa known that they’d be willing to move Muhammad, and his recent reported trade request makes sense.

Additionally, it makes sense that Minnesota would trade Aldrich and his hefty contract, they’ll just need to find a trade partner that is willing and able to take on that salary.

Now, we also have confirmation that the Wolves would listen on both Dieng and Crawford.

ESPN’s Zach Lowe mentioned the Wolves’ willingness to trade Dieng earlier in the week, and we covered that here. Also, our friend Darren Wolfson from KSTP/ESPN 1500 confirmed as much.

While we’d identified here at DWW that a Lou Williams trade (which can’t happen anymore after his extension) and even a potential move surrounding Tyreke Evans would be an awkward fit alongside Crawford and his ball-dominant play on the second unit. Now, there’s a report that the Wolves have “talked to teams” about Crawford.

Wolfson was surprised and couldn’t confirm, but noted that Amick is “very plugged in”.

It makes sense, of course, and would be silly for the Wolves to dig their heals in on Crawford, but it’s interesting in that a move there would completely change the complexion of the bench unit — no small thing when the team is sitting fourth in the Western Conference nearly two-thirds of the way through the season.

Nothing new has cropped up in the past 24 hours or so, but expect the lead-up to the deadline to be extremely busy.

Next: 5 bold predictions for the Wolves at the trade deadline

That doesn’t mean that anything will happen, of course. The Timberwolves face an uphill climb if they’re going to make a move, that much is clear.