5 realistic big-name trade targets for the Minnesota Timberwolves
By Jack Borman
Gersson Rosas has preached aggressiveness in the trade market. Let’s take a look at some stars Rosas could realistically acquire and pair alongside Karl-Anthony Towns with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Thanks to a rollercoaster offseason, there are plenty of storylines to monitor with the dawn of the Minnesota Timberwolves‘ 2019-20 season less than a month away.
Outside of how the rotation will shake out, closely watching how Wolves President of Basketball Operations Gersson Rosas will navigate the in-season trade market is chief among those storylines.
Despite losing out on the grand prize in the D’Angelo Russell sweepstakes to Golden State, the Wolves front office has positioned itself in excellent shape to go big-game hunting in the first week of February.
In order to pull off a deal for a star (or superstar) level player, teams frequently need the following:
- A bloated contract used to match salaries (preferably, one that is expiring).
- Plenty of team-owned draft capital for years into the future
- Additional draft capital from other teams.
- Young and unproven, but high-potential players on cheap contracts.
- A current superstar to entice the player in question to sign long-term with their new team.
Check, check, check, check, and check.
Minnesota possesses an ideal bloated contract: Jeff Teague’s expiring contract is paying him $19 million this season, which comes off the books next summer. The opportunity for a team to off-load $19 million after trading away a star player is a huge asset, especially for a cap-strapped team.
The Wolves own both of their picks in every year from now until 2028, and own an additional 2022 second-round pick. The 2022 draft is the infamous “Double Draft”, because it is likely the first draft that will once again include high school prospects, which makes the pick even more valuable in a potential trade.
The smartest moves the Wolves front office made this summer was not panicking after missing out on Russell. Instead, they regrouped and made four smart acquisitions that could both make a sizable impact on their rotation this year and be used as sneaky good throw-in trade pieces.
- Jordan Bell – one-year, $1.6 million (minimum)
- Noah Vonleh – one-year, $2.0 million (Mid-level exception, slightly above the minimum)
- Jake Layman – three-year, $11.3 million ($3.77 AAV)
- Shabazz Napier – one-year, $1.9 million
Bell, Vonleh, and Layman are all 24, 24, and 25, respectively, and still have tons of room to grow as young, high-ceiling players. More importantly, all three are prime candidates to unequivocally outplay their contracts and become highly-coveted assets whose true value is far greater than their contractual value. These types of players often make-or-break a team’s ability to trade for a star player.
Bell received just 12.8 minutes per game in his first two years in Golden State; in his fifth season, Vonleh set career-highs in points (8.4), rebounds (7.8), True Shooting Percentage (56.1), steals (0.7) and blocks (0.8) and minutes per game (25.3) as a Knick; and Layman set career-highs in nearly every single statistical category this past season for the Blazers, thanks to playing 18.7 minutes per game, up from just 4.6 in 2017-18.
Napier is the elder statesman of the group at 28 but offers playoff experience, sustained 3-point shooting consistency (35.4 percent for his career), savvy scoring skills, and the capability to run the second unit with confidence. At his $1.9 million price tag, he could be a valuable bargain pickup for any team looking for backcourt depth.
All-in-all, the Wolves are in a prime position to make something exciting happen at any point during this season given the draft and current roster capital they posses.
Now, let’s take a look at the stars the Wolves could acquire.