On a recent episode of The Zach Lowe Show, Lowe and his guest, Sam Amick, were discussing possible Tyler Herro trade destinations. Amid extension negotiations, this is reasonable. One team that Lowe mentioned as a landing spot for Herro was the Minnesota Timberwolves.
"My favorite one was Minnesota, Lowe said. And building a deal around Naz Reid, and filler for Tyler Herro. And rebalancing the Wolves roster and putting him on the same team as awesome defensive players."
With a loaded frontcourt and a relatively thin backcourt, rebalancing the roster, as Lowe puts it, makes some sense. However, the Wolves just made a conference finals run and don't need to make any changes for now. It's possible the stars align for this team, and they could make a finals run. Additionally, Herro wouldn't fit the Wolves' versatile playstyle and defense-oriented culture.
Yes, as Lowe notes, the Wolves have the defensive infrastructure to cover up Herro's flaws. But at the same time, he's a poor fit for the Wolves system, and having a defender you can target in the playoffs is never ideal.
The Timberwolves could make a trade eventually but Herro is a poor fit
At some point, the Wolves might have to upgrade their guard room. Regardless, now isn't the right time, and Herro will never be the right player. Herro would likely be the Wolves' best playmaker (perhaps Mike Conley, but he's limited with age). Nevertheless, the Wolves still would need a traditional facilitator rather than Herro, who falls into the microwave off-guard mold.
The case for pursuing a Herro trade is that he's an elite scorer who could elevate the Wolves' offense. Notably, Herro is coming off an All-Star season where he averaged a career high of 23.9 points. I have to wonder, though, would a trio of Herro, Anthony Edwards, and Julius Randle really work, and who would set others up in this group?
Perhaps the most significant reason to avoid trading for Herro is his aforementioned extension. Herro has two years left on his four-year $120 million deal and is seeking an extension worth north of $40 million annually. Even if this deal ends up being within the mid-30s, that's a steep price to pay for one of the league's worst defenders.
The Wolves already have three players making $30 million plus a year, with Jaden McDaniels not being far behind them. In the second-apron era, adding a fourth player who will make $30-plus million a year could be a death sentence. This is only a move you make if the fit is ideal and it clearly moves the team toward a championship. Trading for Herro doesn't guartnetee this.
Reid has one of the most unique skill sets in the league, and his contract is cheaper than Herro's. Parting ways with him and some bench depth to get a more expensive player who might not fit perfectly with the team must be avoided at all costs.