After a stressful week for Minnesota Timberwolves fans, the trade deadline has come and gone. Leading up to the deadline, all eyes were on Giannis Antetokounmpo, and in the end, he stayed put in Milwaukee.
It's fair for Wolves fans to be disappointed by not landing Giannis, especially after it seemed like the Wolves were the frontrunners to land him on Tuesday. However, I don't think this is the worst thing in the world. In fact, I believe there are numerous silver linings to this, especially since he's staying in Milwaukee.
Allow me to explain.
The Wolves are in a great spot despite not trading for Giannis
Firstly, I can't emphasize enough that the Wolves are still a very good team, and they didn't need a blockbuster trade. Yes, when a player of Giannis' level is available, you try to make a move, and an Anthony Edwards-Giannis duo would be unstoppable. However, let us not forget that Giannis is currently injured, and trading for him would overhaul a proven Wolves roster.
A Giannis trade would have been awesome, but I doubt it would have resulted in an immediate championship or even a deep playoff run. This Wolves core is coming off a conference finals appearance, and they could feasibly return to this level or even make a championship run.
If this happens, the Wolves might not need a Giannis trade after all.
Plus, in all honesty, the Wolves' biggest need was guard depth, not frontcourt play. Trading for Ayo Dosunmu perfectly addressed this concern. Dosunmu provides an ideal blend of 3-point shooting, shot creation, connective playmaking, and defense. He could be the piece to help the Wolves put together their third straight deep playoff run.
To me, this is a win-win -- the Wolves can prove that this roster is championship caliber in the playoffs and won't have to gut their core for Giannis -- or they fizzle out and re-engage in talks for Giannis this offseason.
Crucially, the Wolves' path to trading for Giannis in the summer is easier, too. For starters, he's a 2027 free agent, so he'll be on an expiring contract. As such, since we know that Giannis is open to landing with the Wolves, he might force his way to Minnesota. The Wolves will also have access to two more first-round picks this offseason.
Maybe the most important factor, though, is that trading for Giannis this summer would give the Wolves a chance to build a better roster around Giannis and Edwards.
I get why Wolves fans might be disappointed about not landing Giannis, but all things considered, the franchise is in a great position.