3 trade ideas to supplement Minnesota Timberwolves’ playoff push

Timberwolves land old friend and combo forward Thaddeus Young

The Timberwolves need experience, size, and two-way players. Thaddeus Young would provide all of the above.

One thing a young team looking to break through to the playoffs for the first time in a while needs is a veteran presence, someone who can say “I’ve been there before, this is how we do it.” Thaddeus Young has been to the playoffs eight times in his 15-year career, so he and Patrick Beverley can fill that role nicely for the Wolves.

Young also provides some needed frontcourt depth. He doesn’t necessarily fix the team’s woes on the defensive glass, but he can at least help in that regard.

His biggest value would come on offense, where he could help anchor the second unit as a playmaking big. Young has become very adept as a distributor as he has gotten older, averaging 4.3 assists in 24.3 minutes per game last season in Chicago before taking a step back with fewer minutes in San Antonio this year. His passing and solid scoring would go a long way to solidifying Minnesota’s recent development into an elite offense as the team prepares for the postseason.

Young was with the Wolves in 2014-15 and asked for a midseason trade, but it’s clear he did so because he wanted to play for a contender, not because he had an issue with the franchise or location. There’s no reason to believe he wouldn’t get behind a move to the playoff-motivated Wolves.

Here, Minnesota sells high on Prince, giving the Spurs another expiring contract to potentially flip and a pick for their trouble. Young would likely be a one-year flier given his contract and age, but a few months with him in the building providing guidance to the hungry Wolves could be well worth offering up one of three second-rounders.