After back-to-back Western Conference finals runs, the Minnesota Timberwolves have championship aspirations. The Wolves re-signed Naz Reid and Julius Randle, but they lost Nickeil Alexander-Walker and didn't make any notable offseason additions.
Minnesota will be counting on Terrence Shannon Jr., Rob Dillingham, and Jaylen Clark to make bigger impacts this season. These three players are all talented, but unproven, and in Dillingham's case, fairly raw. As a result, it's possible that the Wolves need to make a move to maximize their title chances during the trade deadline.
During a recent preseason trade guide article, ESPN's Bobby Marks noted that the Wolves are one of three teams that can't trade their 2032 first-round pick since they were a second apron team last season.. If the Wolves need to make a big move, this puts them in a tough spot.
Notably, the Wolves' 2026 first-round pick is owed in a pick swap; likewise for 2029 and 2030. Moreover, they have already traded an unprotected 2027 and 2031 pick. Ultimately, if a scenario arises where the Wolves want to make a big move, they will be hampered by their lack of draft capital.
The Timberwolves' lack of draft capital hurt their ability to make a trade
Given that the Wolves lack draft capital and can't trade their 2032 first-round pick, the vision for their cautious offseason strategy is more understandable. Nevertheless, if the Wolves' young players don't step up, they could look to shake up the roster, something that will be nearly impossible with their lack of draft capital.
Julius Randle seems to be the co-star next to Anthony Edwards, and it's unlikely they would be able to find an upgrade for him on the trade market. At 33, what's Rudy Gobert's trade value? Moving off Jaden McDaniels or Naz Reid wouldn't be ideal, given their unique impact as role players.
Sure, maybe they could trade some of their young talent. However, if the problem is that their young talent hasn't looked ready to handle significant minutes, the Wolves would get poor value in return. Overall, the clearest path for most teams to make a needle-moving trade includes picks, and the Wolves are unable to do this.
Considering this, it's fair to say the impact of the Wolves' young talent has never been more important, and the Wolves are somewhat committed to this core. Luckily, at 25, with impressive flashes as a rookie, Shannon at the very least feels poised to make a sizable impact. Regardless, having some concerns with the other Wolves' players is reasonable.