The Minnesota Timberwolves are one of the teams interested in trading for Kevin Durant, but a deal could fail to push the team toward the territory they want to be in. Zach Lowe and Michael Pina discussed a trade framework on The Zach Lowe Show podcast, and it would completely reshape the roster.
Pina threw out Rudy Gobert, Donte DiVincenzo, and Rob Dillingham as the three players the Timberwolves would send to the Suns in a deal. Lowe said it's a hypothetical trade that he's heard around league circles. He added that Minnesota has consistently been mentioned in discussions regarding Durant.
Trading Gobert for Durant would leave the Timberwolves' starting center spot empty. If they retain Naz Reid, who has a $15 million player option for next season, he could be the starter. However, as Lowe said, that'd tank Minnesota's defense entirely. Yes, the Timberwolves' offense would be lethal with Durant and Anthony Edwards, but it'd be hard to make the long-awaited NBA Finals run in a stacked conference without a solid defense and adequate depth. Championship teams typically have at least a top-10 offense and defense.
Kevin Durant trade idea would send the Timberwolves backward
A trade between Minnesota and Phoenix would be challenging to configure due to the tax implications, but that didn't stop the Timberwolves from expressing interest in Durant before the deadline. Lowe mentioned that it'll be easier for Minnesota to loop in a third team this summer (like the Nets) to make a deal less complicated.
Durant is a player that the Timberwolves should explore, but the front office shouldn't be willing to change its identity for (at best) two seasons of him. Every trade poses a certain amount of risk, but trading for a player who will be 37 on opening night and has a concerning injury history comes with a significant amount of risk. The best-case scenario is a championship, and the worst-case scenario is anything that isn't a championship.
Minnesota sent Utah five players and four first-round picks (plus a pick swap) for Gobert in 2022. It's not like he'd net that kind of return this offseason if the Timberwolves put him on the trading block, but that doesn't mean they should trade him to the Suns for KD. There is a high chance that a deal like that would age poorly. What direction would Minnesota turn in then? Exactly.
The Timberwolves need to tread with caution over the next couple of weeks, as the Suns aim to trade Durant before the draft. There is no need to enter desperation mode and do the trade outlined above. It'd be hard to stop Minnesota on offense, but the Timberwolves would struggle to come up with a stop on the other end.