5 Recently traded players the Timberwolves should've snagged themselves
By Austin McGee
4. Buddy Hield
Originally thought to be valued higher, the Philadelphia 76ers swiped sharpshooting guard Buddy Hield from the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Furkan Korkmaz, Marcus Morris (who was rerouted to the San Antonio Spurs, then bought out), and three second-round draft picks.
Knowing this, the Wolves could have swung a deal for the 3-point marksman. Minnesota sent one of their five second-rounders to the Pistons in the Morris deal. While Hield's $18 million salary would have been tough to match, a combination of Milton, Brown Jr., and Kyle Anderson could have done the trick.
Although he's a valuable asset, his expiring contract lowered his trade value. At worst, Hield is a half-season rental who will outprice his current contract with a great performance down the stretch. At best, Hield performs well and re-signs with his new squad for a similar contract using bird rights.
The former Pacer is exactly the type of player to elevate the Wolves' reserve unit. Hield is a career 40.1 percent 3-point shooter with elite volume. The Oklahoma product hasn't launched less than seven triples per game since the 2017-18 season.
The Minnesota reserves rank in the top half in 3-point percentage, yet the bench unit only hoists 11.3 threes per contest, 22nd in the association. The lack of volume also plagues the starters. The Timberwolves starters rank second in the league in 3-point percentage, but in the bottom third in 3-point attempts.
Hield would provide Minnesota with ample shooting off the pine. Furthermore, he'd allow the Wolves to fill the void Edwards or McDaniels' would create if one of the two were to miss time. Hield is equally as comfortable starting as he is coming off the bench. His shooting percentages are nearly identical when playing as a starter and as a reserve.