3 trade ideas to supplement Minnesota Timberwolves’ playoff push

There are two ways to view the Minnesota Timberwolves’ recent hot streak with an eye to the future, and both can be correct depending on what the team does moving forward.

3 trade ideas to supplement Minnesota Timberwolves’ playoff push

The first way to view the Timberwolves’ improved play of late is that the team that entered the season without a ton of experience together is gelling, playing good basketball and that there’s no reason to make any changes. That’s a perfectly reasonable view of the group experiencing one of the franchise’s best seasons in two decades.

The other is to say that the team’s depth pieces have raised their value and that now is the time to turn some of them into something better. Tinkering or standing pat isn’t necessarily a choice between right or wrong, because the results of these decisions will be determined by future moves and developments.

The approaching trade deadline can be a great time to gain value from teams in flux. Franchises grow desperate around this time of year, so it’s always best for teams to have their ears to the ground to track opportunities on which to pounce.

The Wolves also have a clear goal for this season: make the playoffs in as high a seed as possible. They’re tracking fairly well on that front, sitting at the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference and six games ahead of the 10-seeded Portland Trail Blazers in the final play-in spot, but they could improve their position even more by addressing some areas of weakness.

Moreover, they have three second-round picks in the 2022 NBA Draft that will only decrease in value as time wears on; if they make it to draft night with all those picks, they’ll become the desperate team trying to sell them off, and avoid a crowded roster.

So, here are some moves the Timberwolves could make if they want to consolidate their draft position with a pre-deadline move.