Report: Rival executives monitoring 3 Minnesota bench players

The Minnesota Timberwolves are currently atop the Western Conference standings with a 35-15 record. Everything seems to be going right in the Twin Cities.

Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns were named All-Stars, while centerRudy Gobert just missed the cut. Additionally, head coach Chris Finch will be joining the aforementioned stars in Indianapolis as Finch was named the West's head skipper on Sunday night.

For the first time in a long time, the Timberwolves are looking to add talent at the trade deadline. Of course, when talent arrives, it must also depart. Consequently, three Minnesota reserves have been named as potential trade candidates.

Wendell Moore Jr., Shake Milton, and Troy Brown Jr. have all been listed as players worth monitoring. Moore Jr. is a second-year guard averaging only 0.8 points, 0.4 rebounds, and 0.2 assists per game. He's hardly hit the hardwood, only appearing in 13 games this season.

In eight games with Minnesota's G-League affiliate, the Iowa Wolves, Moore Jr. is averaging 14.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 2.1 steals per game. The young guard is a former first-round draft pick who had a successful career playing for the Duke Blue Devils

Milton was one of Minnesota's most-prized offseason additions. However, he's disappointed as a member of the Wolves. In a career-low 12.9 minutes per game, he's averaging 4.7 points on below-average shooting splits. The veteran guard is knocking down just 40.0 percent of his field goals and 26.4 percent of his triples.

Brown Jr. has been the best of the three. Although he's received less playing time than Milton, he's demonstrated a versatile skillet. In only 11.1 minutes, he's averaging 4.2 points, 1.9 boards, and 0.9 assists per game. The former 15th-overall pick has also played with great efficiency. He's shooting 44.1 percent from the field and 36.9 percent from downtown.

The combination of Milton and Brown Jr., alongside multiple second-round picks, has been mentioned in numerous trade packages. The two veterans combine to make $9 million, making both players easy to trade.

Additionally, both players have been in and out of the lineup as of late. Neither Milton nor Brown Jr. are likely to remain in Minnesota for years to come. It's increasingly likely the Timberwolves decide to ship out one or both of the players to improve the roster at the deadline.

Moore Jr. is the most likely to stick around, as he's only a second-year pro, but if improving the roster requires the departure of Moore Jr., then so be it. The Duke product has yet to log meaningful minutes for the Timberwolves.

For all the latest news and rumors on the Timberwolves and the trade deadline, be sure to stay tuned.