What if . . .? Minnesota Timberwolves do nothing by NBA Trade Deadline

The Minnesota Timberwolves have the chance to reclaim .500 if the team can defeat the Detroit Pistons in their rematch. While the Timberwolves are favored to win that one, what happens next? The Timberwolves are 20-21 at the midpoint of the 2022-23 NBA Season, and even with a win over the Pistons, have a long road to travel to place themselves into a good spot for the upcoming NBA Playoffs.

If the Timberwolves aimed at a record of 46-36, the team would have to finish out the rest of the 2022-23 NBA season with a record of 26-15. If they are able to do that and had done that to open the season, they would be the sixth-best team in the NBA. Right now, the Timberwolves are the 17th-best team in the NBA.

Timberwolves won’t play a guessing game at NBA Trade Deadline

But that brings another question into play. NBA teams who are convinced that they simply do not have sufficient firepower on their roster: Whether that means scoring ability to put points on the board or defensive ability to harass opponents whenever they try to score, try to reinforce their weakest attributes before the NBA Trade Deadline. But what truly is the weakness of the Minnesota Timberwolves roster right now?

I admittedly do not know. At least, not to a point where I can point to any player who is available and the Timberwolves can afford at the NBA Trade Deadline who could move the needle for this team far enough to be worth the risk.

In fact, in many of the trade scenarios introduced, the Minnesota Timberwolves roster actually emerges worse for the transaction. Right now, it’s anybody’s guess what the Timberwolves roster is capable of at its peak performance. That ambiguity is fertile ground for generating Timberwolves rumors of an imminent trade.

But, by the same right, it’s completely barren soil to the Timberwolves’ front office. Why would the team’s brass risk trading away valuable assets for a discount? Right now, the Timberwolves are trying to discover their value, their optimal rotations, and their best players. We already know that Austin Rivers, a player who started quite slow, has picked up his game rather admirably.

You can’t fix something if you don’t know what is broken. The Timberwolves have been ravaged by injuries in the first half of their season. But the team is expected to be back to full strength very soon. Until the team has a solid grasp of what the full roster can do when healthy, any trades just for the sake of trading players make little sense.

What if . . .? Minnesota Timberwolves do nothing by NBA Trade Deadline. Don’t be surprised if that is how this season plays out.