The NBA trade deadline is just a little over 24 hours away, and there have been plenty of rumors so far. The Minnesota Timberwolves are unlikely to make a deal, due to the current nature of their roster. They know they need Julius Randle to make a run at the playoffs, and they cannot afford to go trying to make roster-altering moves especially with Randle and Donte DiVincenzo still sitting on the sideline due to injury. They are very likely to make minor moves, if any, at the deadline.
One minor move they could make would be to add another contributor in the backcourt. HoopsHype's Michael Scotto reported recently that the Timberwolves have shown interest in potentially trading for the Chicago Bulls' Lonzo Ball.
Scotto writes: Ball has received trade interest from several teams, including the Memphis Grizzlies, Detroit Pistons, Minnesota Timberwolves, and others, league sources told HoopsHype. Some teams are also monitoring whether Ball could hit the buyout market.
Timberwolves showing interest in Lonzo Ball
This could be a sneaky good move for Minnesota. Ball returned to the court earlier this season after being sidelined since January 2022 with recurring injury troubles. Many wondered if he would ever truly return to form at the NBA level, but he has been a solid producer in Chicago this season.
Again, there's been no indication that Minnesota wants to shake up this roster. But making a move around the edges could be smart, and adding Ball would certainly fit into that category. Lonzo is a guy that, even post-injury, is going to bring you defense and athleticism at both ends of the court.
In the short-term, Ball could serve to replace some of DiVincenzo's production. In the long-term, he could be another depth piece that would give Chris Finch more of a reason to have a deeper rotation.