Trae Young rumors could be music to Timberwolves’ ears

There is no question about it: the NBA is a player-driven league. Superstars run the show, and their influence over front office decisions and team moves is anything but minuscule.

When a superstar player demands a move be made by their franchise, the team is more than likely going to do everything in their power to accommodate their franchise cornerstone. The last thing any front office wants to do is alienate their greatest asset.

That is why Thursday afternoon’s headlines about Trae Young are catching everyone’s eye. Chris Haynes tweeted that multiple NBA executives believe the Atlanta Hawks’ superstar could come forward with a trade request if the team does not correct their current struggles.

The Hawks could enter fire sale mode if they trade Trae Young

This is clearly a major development and one that could not have been easily foreseen before the season began. When the Hawks traded multiple first-round picks for Dejounte Murray in June, it was assumed that they would be one of the four or five best teams in the Eastern Conference this year.

But heading into the final week of 2022, the Hawks are sitting at ninth in the East with a .500 record. Most fans and analysts probably thought Trae Young would be in Atlanta for the long haul, but it is clear he is not afraid to press the button and skip town if he feels things are not moving forward.

If Trae forces the Hawks to trade him, things could begin to change rapidly for the organization. Without their superstar point guard, Atlanta would no longer have any hope of contention. As it is, they are still scraping and clawing for the play-in. It is likely they could enter fire sale mode and attempt to get as much return on their assets as possible, joining the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes in the process.

The Minnesota Timberwolves could try to acquire Dejounte Murray

This is where the Minnesota Timberwolves could benefit. The Hawks have a few pieces that could be useful to the Wolves if they choose to trade their win-now players, but one stands out among the rest: Dejounte Murray.

There is already mutual interest between the two parties, given that Murray was included in trade rumors with the Timberwolves back in June before he was dealt to Atlanta. Dejounte’s unique point guard skills and two-way ability would make him an excellent fit in Minnesota.

You may ask, why would the Timberwolves not just try to acquire Trae Young if he does indeed ask for a trade? The answer is because of fit, not talent. While Young is far and away the better player than Murray, he is too ball-dominant and too poor a defender to succeed next to Anthony Edwards.

Putting an adept distributor that can still get his own shot while defending at a high level next to Edwards would be a much better plan of action. If Trae does end up leaving and his backcourt teammate were to become available, Minnesota would have a major opportunity on their hands to capitalize on a past miss.