Will Connelly be willing to trade Timberwolves PG D’Angelo Russell?

There has been an ever-increasing volume so far this off-season suggesting that the Minnesota Timberwolves would be willing to part ways with point guard D’Angelo Russell. The reasons are as many as they are varied:

• The 2022 NBA is loaded with backcourt talent
• D’Angelo Russell has not played up to his Timberwolves contract
• NBA Team (fill in team’s name) will aggressively pursue a trade for TWolves D’Lo

Of course, it’s all been pretty standard chatter so far. Practically anyone with a keyboard or a smartphone can make the same assertions. So trying to understand the mindset of the Minnesota Timberwolves‘ new team president Tim Connelly is going to require a bit more than a quick scan of the latest Timberwolves rumors, particularly where D’Lo is concerned.

But the latest out of Connelly was a gem, as he immediately squelched any Timberwolves rumors that would hint that the team is eager to offload Russell this offseason. We’ll discuss why next:

That doesn’t sound like a team prepared to part ways with their starting point guard, does it? Well, it is a very smart move to open up the offseason by publicly supporting D’Angelo Russell, and for good reasons.

Horse trading 101

If you have even dickered for the price of anything, you know that the key to any deal-making is the willingness to walk away. Whether it’s buying a car, to shopping for produce at a European open market, there is an artform to expressing interest, and then reversing course in a feigned offense to the asking price or the offer.

Whether or not teams have picked up the phone and officially inquired about what the Timberwolves are seeking to deal D’Lo away, this interview broadcasts the same message to 29 other NBA teams simultaneously.

If you want to acquire PG D’Angelo Russell, you had better be prepared to make a substantial offer.

As NBA teams jockey for position and options to reconstruct their roster, you can be that multiple teams had circled Russell as an option as a starting point guard. In one fell swoop, the Timberwolves are putting everyone on notice not to seek any discounts or bargains if they are seriously interested in Russell. And Connelly likely means it.

That won’t eliminate the likelihood of a trade involving Russell. Rather, it merely raises the starting bid to any team seeking to acquire him. In the end, the Timberwolves can enter the 2022-23 season with Russell managing the team and can call it good.