2022 NBA Trade Deadline: 3 potential trades for the Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are off to one of their better starts in recent memory, and they have an opportunity to improve their roster at the 2022 NBA Trade Deadline.
2022 NBA Trade Deadline: 3 potential trades for the Timberwolves
The team currently sits at 23-23 and would be the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference if the playoffs started today. The team has been able to carve out an identity built on pesky defense and the star power of their Big 3, which has translated into big wins, including recent victories over title favorites such as the Brooklyn Nets and Golden State Warriors.
However, inconsistent shooting and bench performance have caused the Timberwolves to crumble down the stretch during games in which they lead for the majority, which has become a fixture of Minnesota basketball that the Wolves hope to cut down on as much as they can the rest of the season.
Becoming buyers at the trade deadline could prove to be beneficial to the Wolves as they look to make some noise in the playoffs this year and establish a winning culture.
Here are three trades that could immediately improve the Wolves roster.
Timberwolves acquire instant offense from the Houston Rockets
In this scenario, the Timberwolves decide to move on from the once-promising Malik Beasley after his struggles this season, along with young defensive ace Josh Okogie, in favor of a solid, scoring-focused veteran in Eric Gordon.
At 33 years old, Gordon is certainly not going to become a fixture of the Wolves franchise for years to come, but he can lend a steady veteran presence to a young Wolves roster. He is averaging 14.8 points per game on 45.2 percent 3-point shooting this year, which would be a welcome sight for a Wolves bench that has struggled with inefficiency from outside the arc this season.
On the other side of the trade, the Rockets acquire two fairly young pieces to add to their current rebuild in Beasley (25 years old) and Okogie (23) who have not yet hit their prime.
The Rockets can try to get Beasley to return to his 20-points-per-game form from last season by giving him steady minutes in a less stressful environment. Houston could choose to keep him through next year and exercise the fourth-year option on his contract, or they could flip him in a future trade this summer or prior to next year’s trade deadline.
There may also be room for Okogie to crack the rotation and see if he can develop his offensive game to go along with his already stellar defensive play.