With Kyrie Irving being unavailable and the Minnesota Timberwolves seemingly no longer having a chance at Giannis Antetokounmpo, it's becoming increasingly difficult to pinpoint realistic moves for the team.
Not all hope is lost, though, as recently Jake Fischer noted that the Brooklyn Nets are making Michael Porter Jr. and Nic Claxton available (for the right price).
“The Nets would certainly trade any of their veterans, from Nic Claxton to Michael Porter Jr., if the value is correct. But Brooklyn, like every single team that we talked about earlier, the Nets have every incentive to be better than they would have been previously under these new lottery reform rules. And also, the Nets do not own their draft pick next year; that pick goes to Houston. So the Nets do want to have some level of competition on their roster,” Fischer noted.
Oh, so the Nets are open to trading Porter and Claxton, but want some win-now talent back -- how about three-time All-Star Julius Randle?
Neither MPJ nor Claxton would be top-tier trade targets in the same way as a Kyrie or Giannis. Still, Porter is coming off an All-Star-caliber season, proving that he can scale into a bigger role. His blend of size, shooting and general creation would make him an intriguing fit alongside Anthony Edwards.
Claxton, on the other hand, would be a perfect Rudy Gobert replacement and if the Wolves trade for him, they could feasibly make another move for a lead guard.
Why a Timberwolves-Nets trade is possible
As hinted at earlier, much to the delight of (most) Wolves fans, trading for either MPJ or Claxton would likely involve Randle being shipped out. After a lackluster second-round series against the San Antonio Spurs, Randle's market is unlikely to be robust. Likewise, his playstyle is a difficult fit on any team.
Yet some observers have speculated about a possible Randle-Nets trade. As Fischer noted, with the new draft lottery odds, teams aren't incentivized to bottom out, which makes a floor-raiser like Randle more valuable than in years past. And without their 2027 first-round pick, the Nets are doubly incentivized to trade for someone like Randle.
While both moves are possible, I'd argue that a Claxton-Randle swap is more likely. With Randle and MPJ being in a closer tier, the Nets might not want to make what could be considered a lateral move. Still, MPJ likely has more value than Randle and he makes $7 million more. Meaning the Wolves could trade an extra contract and perhaps the No. 28 pick, which might be enough to get a deal done.
Conversely, Claxton isn't a floor raiser, but his two-way impact makes him a fantastic ceiling raiser. As such, a Claxton-Randle trade could be a clear win-win.
Both Porter and Claxton could interest the Wolves
Regardless of which move is more likely, it's worth evaluating their fits with the Wolves a bit closer. Porter is a 6-foot-10 sharpshooter who showcased his impressive creation chops with Brooklyn, averaging 24.2 points this season. While he was mainly a high-end role player with the Denver Nuggets, Porter's recent season in Brooklyn shows that he can offer star-level production.
The Wolves absolutely need more ball-handling, but shooting and general creation are two other clear voids that MPJ could fill. In my eyes, Minnesota would have to make a subsequent move for another ball-handler, but Porter would be a solid option to fill the void of a secondary creator and scorer.
While he wouldn't be a second option, Claxton is the slightly more intriguing option to me. He offers high-level rim protection and defensive versatility, which could help him fill the void of Gobert (who would be dealt in a trade for a guard should the Wolves pull off this move). On offense, Claxton is a quality play-finisher inside with high-post playmaking chops to boot.
Claxton doesn't offer the same level of rim protection as Gobert (few players do). However, he could give the Wolves some more offensive juice and is a perfect fit for Ant's timeline at 27 years old. Plus, I think trading Gobert is the Wolves' best chance of landing a high-quality lead guard.
To this end, trading Randle for Claxton and Gobert for a guard could set up a dream offseason for the Wolves. As Wolves fans anxiously await the first move of Minnesota's offseason, this Nets rumor should provide some level of hope.
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