Minnesota Timberwolves: Wolves players most likely to be traded

The Minnesota Timberwolves players most likely to be traded

In terms of having the right combination of current talent, upside, and tradeable contracts, there are three players who stand out among the rest as the most likely Wolves players to be traded by March 25.

Jarred Vanderbilt

Jarred Vanderbilt is probably on the fence of the last category and this one, but it’s unlikely that his ceiling is high enough to keep him on the block. That, plus the potential emergence of McDaniels, pushes Vando to this spot.

Vanderbilt’s combination of length, athleticism, and want-to is attractive. He’s also affordable, making only $1.6 million this year and heading towards restricted free agency.

Because of the lack of scoring touch and shooting ability, Vanderbilt’s ceiling appears to be that of a bench piece who can provide energy, defense, and rebounding. He’s best described as an undersized center in today’s NBA, but there is still a market for players like that.

Josh Okogie

Even before the struggles that Josh Okogie has experienced the past couple of weeks, the former first-round pick fit the bill of someone the Wolves may try to trade.

Okogie the exact type of player that contending teams want to have on their bench, available to come in and play hard for 10 to 15 minutes in the regular season and maybe a short burst here or there in the playoffs.

Okogie is not going to be a star, and he’s limited enough offensively that he’s best-cast as a situational bench player. He’s a genuinely good defender and can be a terror in transition, but the half-court limitations are a real issue.

He’s is also affordable, making just $2.6 million this year and $4.08 million next year before becoming a restricted free agent. It’s the kind of cost-certainty that playoff teams like from their role players, and Okogie checks all those boxes.

If the Wolves were contending for a playoff spot, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. But they aren’t, and the minutes vacated by Okogie can go to younger up-and-comers like McDaniels and Nowell, while the Wolves should be able to fetch an asset or two in exchange for Okogie.

Jarrett Culver

Jarrett Culver was picked No. 6 in last year’s draft after the Wolves traded Dario Saric to move up from No. 11. Several accounts emerged that the Wolves were actually after Darius Garland, who is having something of a breakout sophomore campaign in Cleveland this year, but they ended up with Culver.

Culver had a disappointing rookie season. There’s no other way to slice it, as he underwhelmed in every way on the offensive end of the floor, although his length and athleticism were a welcome addition to the Wolves’ perimeter defense.

There were offseason rumors that Culver could have been in a trade package offered to Atlanta in an attempt to move back up the draft board, but the Wolves ultimately changed their mind.

Culver had had a roller-coaster start to the season, with a few good games and several outings right in line with his rookie year. Now, he’s out with a sprained ankle.

While Okogie offers relatively low cost, great defense, and little offense, Culver comes at a higher cost, with slightly less-reliable defense but with significant offensive upside. Yes, his jump shot remains broken and there’s been no consistency, but he’s also a 21-year-old who just led Texas Tech to the championship game less than two years ago and was the No. 6 pick in the draft.

The fully-realized version of Culver is a big, playmaking wing who can score or distribute and also guard two or three positions defensively.

Okogie is more likely to be sought after by playoff-caliber teams, while Culver would be moved in a deal to a team in a similar position as the Wolves: in some stage of a rebuild, looking to strike lightning in a bottle, and hoping that the Wolves are recklessly giving away young talent tin an effort to free roster/cap space.

And that’s exactly what may happen. The Wolves may choose to cut bait simply to free up some cap. After all, Culver has the seventh-highest salary on the books for this year and the sixth-most guaranteed money overall.

Don’t be surprised if at least one of the three players in this category is moved by March 25, and quite possibly one or two from the veteran category. Trader Rosas will be out in full force come March, and it’s time we start preparing for what could end up being a flurry of moves.