After pulling off a trade for Ayo Dosunmu, the Minnesota Timberwolves were wondering how this move would impact their well-documented pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo. On the surface level, they didn't give up that many assets -- so a move could be possible. Nevertheless, shortly after the trade went down, ESPN's Brian Windhorst noted that the Wolves moved on from their pursuit of Giannis.
It was always clear that a Giannis-Timberwolves trade would be difficult at the deadline, even after Minnesota traded Mike Conley to open up cap space. The Wolves' lack of draft capital was a massive hurdle, plus the Milwaukee Bucks have been clearly reluctant to move on from Giannis.
Regardless, for a brief moment, reports made it seem like Minnesota was the clear frontrunner to land the two-time MVP. The thought of pairing two top-five players in the league together was understandably super exciting for Wolves fans despite the steep asking price.
Now, though it seems like it's time to move on.
Missing out on Giannis is a bummer, but the Wolves are still in a good spot
While missing out on Giannis is disappointing, not all is bad. For starters, I love the Ayo Dosunmu trade and think he's the perfect piece to bolster Minnesota's backcourt depth. Plus, at the time of writing this article, it seems like a strong possibility that the Bucks keep Giannis past the deadline. Yet as we all know, he doesn't have a future in Milwaukee, and these conversations will likely be resumed in the offseason. If and when this happens, the Wolves should be at the center of these conversations, and they'll have access to two extra first-round picks.
I know this might not be what Wolves fans want to hear right now, but I really don't think striking out on Giannis is awful. Regardless, this past week or so has been an absolute rollercoaster of emotions for Wolves fans, and closing the door on a Giannis trade hurts.
Simply put, the thought of an Anthony Edwards-Giannis pairing is so tantalizing, and Minnesota would easily have the league's best duo. As such, it is difficult to see the Wolves not pull off a move. In the end, they likely had no choice, though.
Tim Connelly is one of the most aggressive executives in the league, and fans can rest assured that he tried everything in his power to make a move. Between the Wolves' lack of draft capital, the subsequent need for a third or even fourth team, and the Bucks' hesitancy to part ways with Giannis, there were simply too many factors working against them.
While this isn't the outcome most Timberwolves fans wanted to see, getting some closure is nice, and the team is in a good spot overall.