How trading for Trae Young could help save the Minnesota Timberwolves

Too much too little too late?

Even with that uptick in production towards the end of the season, there likely won’t be much of a market for Gobert this summer even if the Timberwolves did want to explore that path. They’re sunk into this trade now and there’s no way they’re getting those picks back by sending Gobert out the door. They need to find a way to get as much out of him as they possibly can.

The Wolves need to space the floor better to give Anthony Edwards enough room to attack the rim and they need a guard who can maximize Rudy Gobert’s talents as a rim runner and a lob threat. Sounds an awful lot like they need Trae Young.

Young is one of the most dangerous pick-and-roll operators in the league. He logs more possessions in this action than any other player in the NBA and has spent the last few years spoon-feeding Clint Capella and John Collins easy looks near the rim as a result. It’s not hard to see Gobert – a great pick-and-roll player in his own right – slotting in the Collins/Capella role with a similar effect.

As for floor spacing ability, there is no question that Young can shoot it. His three-point shooting percentage is down significantly from last year but when Young is on he can look like the next iteration of Stephen Curry. He’s equally skilled at taking advantage of the attention his three-point shot demands to slither into the lane and find teammates for easy kick-out threes.

One ball, two shooters

Now, to be fair, both Young and Edwards are at their best with the ball in their hands. And while Young needs to improve as an off-ball threat, Edwards has shown that he doesn’t necessarily need the ball in his hands to be effective. He shot almost 42 percent on catch-and-shoot threes this season and with the attention that Young demands from deep, it should be easy for Chris Finch to scheme up ways to set up Edwards for easy catch-and-shoot looks off of Trae’s probing drives.

Ultimately, the Wolves have to do something differently. This trio of Edwards, Towns, and Gobert isn’t working. They’re not going to trade Ant and they can’t flip Gobert for anything close to what they got him for, that makes trading Towns for another superstar who can help complement their roster the most logical path forward.

Trading Towns for Trae Young is a risky move, but it just might be one the Wolves need to make if they want to get the most out of their current roster.