One frustrating roadblock may prevent Timberwolves from impactful trade

The Minnesota Timberwolves are trying to figure it out. They’ve got a bunch of pieces that don’t quite fit, and head coach Chris Finch is attempting to build something strong anyway. Not helping his case is the fact that Karl-Anthony Towns is out for a long stretch, further delaying the process of integrating everyone together.

It’s important to be patient; Rome wasn’t built in a day, and establishing a title contender with a newly-added star center isn’t going to happen in Game 1, and perhaps not even Game 25. It’s unfortunate there isn’t more progress, but the Wolves can’t pull the plug yet (especially since KAT can’t be traded until next summer).

There is being patient, however, and there is just sitting on your hands. The Timberwolves can’t afford to completely punt on this season either; Rudy Gobert is 30 years old, D’Angelo Russell is a pending free agent, and with Utah owning Minnesota’s 2023 first-round pick completely unprotected, missing the playoffs would be an unmitigated disaster.

The Timberwolves have to look around the trade market for a way to improve their team. They face some obvious difficulties, namely their limited remaining asset pool and a lack of difference-making wings on the trade market. That being said, there is one significant roadblock that the Wolves face that most teams do not.