Minnesota Timberwolves: 3 trade options with the Pelicans

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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JANUARY 23: Jrue Holiday #11 of the New Orleans Pelicans. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) /

Now that the New Orleans Pelicans are open for business, what kind of trades could the Minnesota Timberwolves pull off for some of their spare parts?

The Minnesota Timberwolves are still in the playoff hunt while sitting at a disappointing 24-26 on the season.

Currently in 11th-place in a tightly-contested Western Conference race, the Timberwolves could certainly still find themselves backing into a playoff spot. The trade deadline is in just over a week and the All-Star Break is right around the corner — also known as the time of year during which trade rumors are everywhere.

This year is a little bit different with names such as Marc Gasol, Mike Conley, Julius Randle, and, of course, Anthony Davis all confirmed to be on the trade block.

This was the big news of early Monday morning:

Rich Paul to ESPN on a preferred destination for Anthony Davis: "Anthony wants to be traded to a team that allows him the chance to win consistently and compete for a championship."
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 28, 2019

Obviously, all those names are respected players and some remain among the best players in the league today.

Mike Conley and Marc Gasol both former All-Stars, and Anthony Davis, of course, is considered by many to be the second-best player in the world. This is an exciting time for any NBA fan, and especially for those whose teams are rumored to have a shot at landing AD.

Anthony Davis' agent Rich Paul tells @NYTSports he has NOT given the Pelicans a preferred trade destination for Davis. But Davis' July 2020 free agency obviously gives hm huge say in where he lands since no team will surrender meaningful assets for a player it can't re-sign
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) January 28, 2019

Unfortunately, the Timberwolves really don’t have any valuable assets to trade for a player like Anthony Davis. Marc Gasol really doesn’t fit the current roster and Mike Conely is far too expensive for the Wolves.

But with the Davis news earlier this week, it became clear that the Pelicans are holding a fire sale and are in complete rebuild mode. Beyond the fact that it creates one less contender for a playoff spot in the West, it provides another opportunity for the Wolves.

Minnesota could use this to their advantage by gaining a player to help the team make a final playoff push after the All-Star Break. Nikola Mirotic, Julius Randle and E’Twaun Moore will all be on the trade block. Meanwhile, the Lakers are getting a package together for Davis but they will need a third team to help. That is where the Timberwolves could make some moves to improve the roster.

Let’s take a look at three trades the Timberwolves could complete that would greatly improve the roster and help their chances of making the playoffs. All the trades were sent through the ESPN Trade Machine, so they are confirmed to work under the salary cap.