NBA Rumors: Minnesota Timberwolves will have plenty of potential trade partners

With unofficial kickoff to NBA trade season on Sunday, the Minnesota Timberwolves have been a popular team mentioned in various rumors around the league.

In case you’ve been living under a rock, it’s time for a reminder that it’s unofficially NBA trade season.

Along with that, here’s your reminder that the Minnesota Timberwolves will be present in many of the rumors that will be growing over the coming weeks.

The unofficial start of trade season began on Sunday, as players signed during the summer can be traded beginning Dec. 15. That opens up myriad possibilities, from big names to other pieces that could be involved in larger deals.

The Wolves are, of course, always in “big game hunting” mode thanks to aggressive new front office boss Gersson Rosas, who worked under the ultra-aggressive Daryl Morey in Houston for well over a decade. But it isn’t easy to land said big game, of course, and there have really only been a couple of names linked to the Wolves over the past few months.

There are also some Wolves player who will be of interest to other organizations, so there’s that angle to cover as well.

Big names potentially on Wolves’ radar

D’Angelo Russell is the one that everyone is talking about, as both he and his employer, the Golden State Warriors, shook hands on an awkward placeholder agreement this offseason, with Russell taking the six-figure deal despite being all but assured that the Warriors would be trading him. It’s only a matter of when, not if.

Now, with Stephen Curry injured and Klay Thompson already out for the season, the Warriors are in no real hurry to move Russell. At this stage, it appears to be likely that Golden State might hang onto Russell into the summer, unless they’re blown away by an offer.

Also, the Warriors aren’t incentivized to make the move for, say, Robert Covington as they have the worst record in the NBA at 5-23. No need for a premier 3-and-D player at this point in time.

The only other star the Wolves have been linked to is Kyle Lowry, including shortly after he signed his contract extension back in October.

The main thing keeping a deal with Toronto from happening is that the Raptors have been even better than expected at 17-8, and they aren’t likely to make a major move any time soon.

Wolves players on other team’s radar

The most attractive trade asset the Timberwolves have (besides Karl-Anthony Towns, of course) is Robert Covington.

RoCo has two years at under $13 million per season left on his deal, and he remains one of the league’s best 3-and-D players. The only real question is whether or not his knee issues will crop up again and if he’s back to full strength yet this season.

The Wolves have no reason to give Covington away for pennies on the dollar, as he’s still valuable to them, too. But if other franchises get desperate and decide that Covington is one of the more attractive players on the trade market, the Wolves would absolutely take advantage of a bidding war.

Jeff Teague, on the other hand, is a likely trade candidate. With $19 million left on an expiring deal, Teague could provide insurance at the point guard spot for an aspiring playoff contender. He doesn’t fit the Wolves new offense, as he’s more effective as a ball-dominant scoring option than as part of a fast-paced offense designed around the 3-point shot.

Teague has played well of late, but the Wolves are just 2-7 since he’s moved to a bench role. The Wolves are likely to hold on and see if they can right the ship over the next few weeks, but expect Teague to be moved by the February deadline.

There aren’t any other players who are necessarily likely to be moved, although there are certainly some ancillary pieces that other teams could see as underutilized. For instance, Noah Vonleh‘s veteran minimum contract could surely be had for a second-round pick if there’s a contender in need of frontcourt depth, either now or if they have a rash of injuries between now and the trade deadline.

Keep an eye on the rumor mill, as the Timberwolves will be mentioned early and often. It would be a surprise if they remained entirely quiet by the time the trade deadline comes and goes in February.