Josh Green's Timberwolves tenure could be over before it starts

While LaMelo Ball is understandably the talk of the town following Thursday's blockbuster trade, the Minnesota Timberwolves quietly also acquired another player in that deal: Josh Green. 

Timberwolves reporter Jack Borman noted that he wouldn't be surprised if the Wolves re-route Green specifically in exchange for a true power forward, which is suddenly a glaring need for this team. Now that the Wolves have gutted their draft capital and given their firm desire to keep Donte DiVincenzo, Green is one of their few trade candidates. 

I wouldn't be opposed to keeping Green, as he is a solid 3-and-D wing who could provide some rotational minutes. Still, to find a rotation-worthy power forward, trading Green is perhaps their best path to upgrading this massive roster flaw. 

Possible power forward targets in a Green trade

Borman tossed out Nikola Jovic and P.J. Washington as possible trade targets in a deal centered around Green's $14.6 million expiring contract. Both players are fairly intriguing. After a down year, Jovic is at the beginning of what looks to be an undesirable contract. Thus, Jovic could be a realistic swap option for Green. While Jovic had a down season, he's just 23, and in the two years prior, he showed a ton of promise as a stretch four with great size at 6-foot-10 and connective skills. 

Washington, on the other hand, is a much more impactful power forward. He can punish mismatches, defend, rebound and space the floor a bit. The catch is that the Wolves would (within all likelihood) have to trade Terrence Shannon Jr. to entice the Dallas Mavericks. 

Personally, I'd make this move, and with the Mavs drafting Morez Johnson Jr., I think there could be mutual interest in a deal like this. Shannon has shown some upside, but the Wolves don't need his skill set as much as they might have following the Ball trade. Likewise, trading Shannon is worth it to fill a clear position of need. 

Another name, I'd throw out in a similar mold to Washington, is Obi Toppin. Conversely, Dorian Finney-Smith could be a buy-low target like Jovic; he could provide some real defensive value, though his offense fell off a cliff this past season. 

Now, the Wolves don't have to trade Green to fill their power forward void. Another path is signing a free agent, whether that be on a minimum deal or the taxpayer mid-level. Some possible taxpayer mid-level names include Dean Wade, John Collins and Sandro Mamukelashvili. Each of these players would provide an ideal blend of size and shooting. 

However, it's unclear if they will 100 percent be in the Wolves' price range. After that, it's slim pickings for true fours. Someone like Marvin Bagley could be the Wolves' best option. 

Considering all of this, and that Jon Krawczynski noted that other moves are in the works, I think Green is unlikely to ever play a game for the Wolves. 

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