Timberwolves receive a gut-wrenching Kyrie Irving update

With the Minnesota Timberwolves in desperate need of a shot creator and ball-handler alongside Anthony Edwards, Kyrie Irving felt like a dream fit. While the Wolves have expressed interest in Kyrie, unfortunately, reporting from Marc Stein says the Dallas Mavericks aren't interested in trading Irving. 

"Sources tell The Stein Line that the Mavericks, thus far this offseason, have been messaging to teams that Irving is not available," Stein reported. 

This update is a gut-punch for the Timberwolves, to say the least. Despite needing some roster changes, Minnesota is in a real pickle due to its lack of draft capital, high-end trade chips and high payroll. Like many people, I thought that Kyrie's age and injury history could make him a realistic trade target for the Timberwolves. 

Unfortunately, this doesn't seem to be the case, though. From here, it's unclear where the Wolves can pivot to land Edwards a co-star. 

The Wolves don't have a clear backup plan with Kyrie being unavailable

There is some level of risk with a possible Irving trade, in particular, regarding his injury history. But there's no denying that he's a picture-perfect fit alongside Ant. 

Kyrie can score effortlessly at all three levels, playmake, is a dynamic ball-handler and can comfortably play off the ball. He simply checks every single box the Wolves should be looking for. 

Considering this, combined with the lack of other clear options on the trade market, makes this update such a painful one for Minnesota.

Now, I wouldn't completely slam the door shut on Kyrie being traded. Stein reported that league executives are speculating about the Mavs drafting Arizona guard Brayden Burries and if that would change their stance on Kyrie.

However, for now, it's fair to say the Wolves need to look into alternative options and as noted, it's hard to pinpoint an ideal pivot option. 

Minnesota has been linked to Ja Morant, but between his injury history, poor 3-point shooting and declining rim numbers, the risk with trading for him is immense. Dejounte Murray is intriguing, but there has been no credible reporting linking him to the Wolves. Plus, Murray also has injury concerns. The Wolves' path to landing Giannis Antetokounmpo feels slim at best. 

Tim Connelly has never shied away from making aggressive moves. Additionally, most of his moves come out of nowhere. Regardless, it's hard to pinpoint an avenue for the Wolves to trade for a star after this update on Irving's availability. 

Whether the Wolves find a way to pull off a move for a star or they figure out another way to reshuffle the roster around Edwards, it's fair to expect creativity to be a big theme with this year's offseason.

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