It's not a secret that the Minnesota Timberwolves have to shake up their roster this offseason. As currently constructed, they aren't true title contenders. One of the main trade targets that Wolves fans have pitched is Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving.Â
After the Mavericks parted ways with Jason Kidd on Tuesday, it's easy to see a scenario where Irving is traded. Marc Stein recently reported that "The Mavericks are likely to receive trade interest in Irving." Shams Charania also added that "Multiple contenders are very much monitoring Kyrie's future."
Given the Wolves' need for a creator and ball handler next to Anthony Edwards and Tim Connelly's affinity for skilled guards, it's fair to suggest the Wolves could be one of the teams interested in Kyrie. This may remind some long-time Timberwolves fans of the 2017 offseason, when Kyrie requested a trade out of Cleveland and listed the Wolves as one of his four preferred destinations.
Kyrie's original preference to land in Minnesota was connected to a desire to play with Jimmy Butler. Nevertheless, Timberwolves fans and the organization should be hopeful that, since Irving was already open to landing in Minnesota, he could once again prefer a trade to the Twin Cities with the chance to play alongside Ant-Man.Â
Kyrie Irving would be a seamless fit with the Timberwolves
When looking at the teams that could feasibly need a point guard and offer Kyrie a genuine chance to compete for a title, the Timberwolves stand out as a perfect landing spot.Â
Now, it's unclear whether Irving will have sway in his possible next team. Back in 2017, Kyrie was traded to the Boston Celtics despite them not appearing on his preferred list of teams. With the Mavericks having a new front office, Irving's possible preference may carry even less weight.
Still, Wolves fans can hope that Kyrie's potential desire to team up with Ant helps him land in Minnesota.Â
We'll have to wait for more definitive reporting about the situation. However, for now, it seems like a reasonable leap of faith to say that Kyrie would be excited about the possibility of teaming up with Edwards.
And frankly, you couldn't think of a better fit next to Ant in the backcourt than Kyrie. Edwards needs someone who can provide stable ball handling, playmaking, three-level scoring, and crucially, the ability to play off the ball. This perfectly describes Kyrie.Â
Irving's age (34) and recent ACL injury provide some risk. Regardless, every player the Wolves can realistically trade for this summer has some level of risk, but few have the upside that Kyrie does. Likewise, assuming the Wolves are looking to trade Julius Randle for a truly dependable second option, Kyrie is perhaps the best player Minnesota could land in a deal that's close to a one-for-one swap.Â
Overall, Kyrie feels like the most ideal option for the Wolves to solve their point guard problem, and it would be poetic if he ended up in Minnesota almost a decade after his 2017 trade request.
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