Well, it finally happened: Giannis Antetokounmpo has been traded to the Miami Heat. The Bucks dealt Giannis along with Bobby Portis for Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, three first-round picks (including No. 13), one pick swap and one second-rounder.
The Minnesota Timberwolves were in the mix for Giannis at the deadline. However, it was always hard to find a pathway for a move given their lack of draft capital. Minnesota could only trade its 2033 pick and the No. 28 pick in this year's draft for Giannis. This provided a clear obstacle.
Yet the Wolves remained in the hunt for Giannis until earlier this offseason. Part of the reason they fell out of the running was that they didn't want to part ways with Jaden McDaniels or Joan Beringer.
Now, if the Wolves were willing to trade McDaniels, a trade with him, Beringer, Naz Reid, Terrence Shannon Jr. and two first-rounders could have been at least worth Miami's time. Still, mortgaging their entire future would have been unwise for Minnesota and the final trade details prove that once and for all.
For Miami, a team far from contention, a desperation star move like this is understandable. Nevertheless, for a Wolves team that has made two conference finals appearances in three years, it would have been unnecessary.
The Timberwolves were wise not to mortgage their future for Giannis
The Wolves still have plenty of questions to answer after salary-dumping Julius Randle. They will undoubtedly need to make some more moves to improve the roster around Anthony Edwards.
However, the NBA is trending toward depth and fit. As such, going all in on a star duo is no longer what works for championship-winning teams.
Furthermore, Giannis' injury history is another layer of risk.
Regardless of what happens for the rest of the offseason, Minnesota has four high-quality players who are 26 and under. This gives them the foundation to compete for years to come. And if they add to this core by flipping Rudy Gobert for a guard, they'll be in a fantastic spot.
Pairing Ant and Giannis together sounds thrilling. But it likely still wouldn't be enough to win a championship, especially with how much it would have gutted their depth. Without a doubt, keeping their young core (and limited future assets) intact was the right call for the Wolves.
It might not be flashy, but the Wolves' best path forward wasn't a blockbuster move for Giannis. Keeping the young core intact and building with depth will prove to be a winning recipe in the long run.
Watch how it plays out for the Heat -- they have a big name, but they don't have a roster built to complement him and they don't have many ways to improve -- that's a house of cards.
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