The Timberwolves' dream trade target is not who you think it is

NBA trade season is among us with the Chicago Bulls and The Oklahoma City Thunder swapping Alex Caruso for Josh Giddey. The Minnesota Timberwolves are coming off their first Western Conference Finals appearance since 2003-04 and they fortunately have 7 of their top 8 rotation players already under contract (Kyle Anderson being the pending free agent) for next season. 

This gives Tim Connelly and the Wolves one more chance to run it back with its current core and make a move around the margins. Impressively, the Wolves biggest need is arguably the backup point guard position and to add another shot creator off the bench.

With Monte Morris, Jordan McLaughlin, and Daishen Nix being pending free agents, it is unlikely the full-time backup point guard will be an in-house promotion. Looking around the league, there are several suitable options to fill this spot. One is Dennis Schroder, who signed a two-year, $25 million deal with the Raptors this past summer but was traded to the Nets mid-season. 

The Timberwolves should target Dennis Schroder this summer

The Nets failed to reach the 2024 post-season and are potentially losing defensive anchor Nic Claxton this offseason via free agency. Trading Schroder with one year left on his deal for young players and draft picks may be in the Nets' best interest. 

Schroder averaged 14 points and six assists last season, and he will be 31 years old this coming season. Schroder can be plugged right into the Wolves' bench unit to join Naz Reid for a one-two scoring punch. The former Sixth Man of the Year finalist also has plenty of starting experience. He started for the championship Lakers in 2020 and can handle a heavy workload if the Timberwolves choose to load-manage Mike Conley’s minutes next season. 

According to Bleacher Report, the Timberwolves showed interest in Schroder this past deadline before deciding to trade for free agent Monte Morris. Schroder may not be the Timberwolves’ long-term solution at the point guard position, but he is a piece that can push them over the top with the current core in place.