Suggested trade target would bring championship DNA to Minnesota

There are still a lot of questions surrounding the Minnesota Timberwolves, and injuries have not made matters any better. Mike Conley has missed the last the Wolves' last two games, and both contests ended up being losses when the final buzzer rang.

Conley's absence has stirred up questions about his true value to this team. Yes, Minnesota Mike is on the older side and has not exactly been thriving this season statistically, but how much worse is this squad without him? Conley's guiding veteran presence was a big lift before, and now we are seeing just how valuable he is since he has been forced to the sideline.

Even if Mike is playing badly, there are going to be elements of having him on the hardwood that can help Minnesota in theory. But then as we think about the basketball consequences of Conley struggling, it stands to reason that the Timberwolves' front office may want to explore the trade market to see what kind of veteran additions they can make ahead of the February trade deadline.

One option that could make sense according to Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report is Utah Jazz point guard Patty Mills. The 16-year vet became an NBA champion with the San Antonio Spurs in 2014, and brings some useful on-court skills that could be of value to the Timberwolves.

The Timberwolves should consider trading for Patty Mills

It is no secret that Mills is in the tail end of his career, as his minutes over the last two seasons have taken a sharp decline. But along with that same veteran presence that Conley brings to the floor, Patty also brings both championship experience as well as a knack for knocking down three-point shots.

Currently, the only NBA champion on Minnesota's roster is Donte DiVincenzo. Adding another player to the locker room that has been to The Finals and has been in those do-or-die situations while playing for a title could be a subtle but underrated move, especially if the Timberwolves can get back on track and make another playoff run come April.

The bottom line here is that having another veteran ball-handler to back up Conley could end up being a wise move. Mike is not always going to be on his game at this point in his career, even if his off-court presence is still making a difference in other ways. Being able to supplant Conley with a fellow career 38% shooter from deep in Mills on nights where his shot is not falling would be far from the worst thing the Timberwolves' front office could do.