The Minnesota Timberwolves will be going star hunting this offseason, and although the Wolves will likely be firmly in the mix for all of the big fish, they may not meet the price tag for guys like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, or others. But certain stars are depreciated assets, and now would be the perfect time for the Wolves to pounce.
The most notable of these "depreciated assets" is Memphis Grizzlies point guard, Ja Morant. Morant has had a tough few years, none tougher than last season. He dealt with numerous injuries, the Grizzlies weren't a good team, and his jump shot was the worst it's been in his career. But when he's healthy, he's one of the most dynamic playmakers and highlight machines in the league.
Morant won't take much to acquire -- therefore there isn't much risk in trading for him
The Grizzlies aggressively took calls on Morant at the deadline, but nothing materialized. Nevertheless, it's close to a guarantee that he gets dealt this offseason with the Grizzlies diving headfirst into a rebuild. There were rumors that the Grizzlies might have to attach draft capital to Morant in any trade, and if this is the case, the Wolves need to pounce.
Minnesota is already scraping an empty barrel when it comes to draft capital, so if they can acquire a potential franchise point guard that also fits Anthony Edwards' timeline, and get a draft pick to go with it, they need to do that.
Memphis likely wouldn't want Randle, but there's no reason why the deal couldn't be three teams with Randle going to a third team, with expiring contracts, and maybe some lower-tier picks going to Memphis.
Trading for Morant is risky -- but the reward would be worth it
We all know the narrative surrounding Morant. He can't stay healthy, he can't shoot, and he likes to play with guns too much. I, for one, am in the camp that you can't write off a player without at least one change of scenery, especially a player as gifted as Ja.
He's never been a great three-point shooter, but it hasn't stopped him from leading teams to the No. 2 seed and averaging over 25 a game.
Even in what was considered a nightmare season, he still averaged 19.5 points and 8.1 assists per game. Not even three years ago, he was considered on par with Anthony Edwards as one of the most promising young guards in the league.
I believe it's too early to write Morant off, and if his price tag is as low as everyone says, then this is the perfect opportunity for Tim Connelly to add some high-level talent, without giving away much at all.
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