The pathways for the Minnesota Timberwolves to acquire a starting-caliber power forward are difficult but not impossible. One team that may be open for business in that department is the Dallas Mavericks, who have a surplus of them.
Between young sensation Cooper Flagg, new lottery pick Morez Johnson Jr., recently acquired Santi Aldama, and veterans P.J. Washington, Naji Marshall, and Caleb Martin, the Mavs will surely need to do some roster shifting throughout the remainder of the offseason.
Out of the available guys in that list, Washington would make the most sense for the Wolves. Martin isn't really a reliable rotational player right now, and Marshall is more of a wing than a big forward. Washington is a similar player to Naz Reid, where he's a great corner 3-point shooter, but also has a solid post game, and is a plus rebounder.
What are the paths to acquire P.J. Washington?
After trading just about every one of their remaining draft picks for LaMelo Ball, the Wolves don't have much to offer in that department. In a trade for Washington and his $17 million upcoming salary in the 2026-2027 season, Josh Green, who the Wolves got in addition to Ball, who's making $14.6 million, would have to be in the trade.
Not only do the Wolves need to add more than Green for salary purposes, but the Mavericks would need more than just an expiring contract. This is where the sweetener from the Wolves would come into play. One of Joan Beringer or Terrence Shannon Jr. would need to be included in the trade, and without a doubt, one of those names makes a lot more sense than the other.
As much as Wolves fans love Shannon, the addition of Ball makes him more expendable due to his need to play on the ball. Chris Finch learned last season that using Shannon as a corner spacer wasn't effective and that having him initiate the offense was how he needed to be utilized. The issue is, the Wolves have a lot of on-ball guys now that push Shannon lower down the pecking order.
How would P.J. Washington fit with the Wolves?
While Washington isn't a perfect Reid replacement, he can do a lot of similar things.
For one, he's a great corner 3-point shooter, and he should get a lot of open looks with Ball's playmaking and Edwards collapsing the defense. He's also more than capable of taking advantage of mismatches in the post, as he has a plus hook shot and floater.
Reid is a better shooter and ball handler than Washington, but on defense, Washington probably has him beat, and the offense is at least comparable.
The truth is, there aren't a ton of attainable power forwards on the market right now, but out of the available ones, Washington should absolutely be the number one choice.
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