2 Trade deadline moves that would boost Timberwolves, 2 moves they must avoid

Avoid: Acquiring a long-term contract

Adding a player on an expiring deal or a team-friendly one should be prioritized by the Timberwolves front office. Minnesota is 28th in the association in terms of cap space. The Timberwolves are roughly $61 million over the salary cap.

The next season only gets worse. As it stands, the Timberwolves are set to be in a serious cap predicament in the 2024-25 season. The contracts of Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, and Naz Reid add up to $166 million, $14 million over the projected salary cap.

One of the most important players on the roster, Mike Conley, is playing on the last season of the three-year $68 million pact he signed in 2021. It's been noted that acquiring a backup point guard is almost a necessity at the deadline. It's important Minnesota adds primarily ball-handlers and acquires a player capable of starting at the point next season if Conley bolts in free agency or retires.

For instance, adding a player such as Tyus Jones would be a worthwhile maneuver. Jones is in the last year of the two-year contract he signed in 2022. The same goes for Monte Morris, who is playing out the last season of a three-year, $27 million deal he signed before the 2021-22 season.

Trading for a player like the Atlanta Hawks' Bogdan Bogdanovic would be detrimental to future cap flexibility. Seemingly on the trade block, the Hawks guard would help the Wolves immensely with his extraordinary shooting.

However, Bogdanovic is owed nearly $50 million over the next three seasons. Although he may even be underpaid, spending $14 million or more on five, possibly six players over multiple seasons is a tough pill to swallow.