Donte DiVincenzo has quietly been having a fantastic season for the Minnesota Timberwolves. His averages of 13 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4 assists on 40.5/36.6/76.1 shooting splits don't tell the full story of his impact. DiVincenzo is well-known for being an elite movement shooter, but he also provides value as a connective playmaker and high-energy defender.
Recent reporting from Jake Fischer confirms that the Timberwolves have shifted their focus to a mid-tier-salaried player rather than a star guard ahead of the February 5 trade deadline. Pulling off a trade will be challenging for the Timberwolves as a first-tax apron team since they'll have to match salaries.
Fischer mentioned the possibility of combining the salaries of Mike Conley and Rob Dillingham to pull off a trade. It's unclear what the value of these players is, but it's fair to expect that it would be fairly limited given Conley's age and Dillingham's struggles in year two. Perhaps the Wolves throw in some draft capital, as a result.
I'm sure many teams will inquire about DiVincenzo as a result, and the New York Knicks already have. However, unless the Wolves land a clear-cut better player in return for DiVincenzo, Minnesota should keep him. When looking at some of the possible mid-tier-salaried players whom the Wolves may target, none of them is an overall better player than DiVincenzo. As such, the Timberwolves must hold on to him.
The Wolves can make a trade for an impact guard and keep DiVincenzo
I know what you're thinking -- to get, you have to give. That's absolutely true. Nevertheless, the Wolves can upgrade their point guard room in a meaningful way without giving up DiVincenzo!
Collin Sexton, Coby White, and Dennis Schroder could be realistic targets with a package centered around Conley and Dillingham. This might sound crazy, but let's break it down.
Over the offseason, Sexton was traded for Jusuf Nurkic (who at the time was a negative asset) and a second-round pick. His size and expiring contract hurt his value. Sexton is only playing 24.3 minutes in Charlotte, but he still provides impact as a three-level scorer, playmaker, and defender. Given his value over the offseason, Sexton is an attainable trade target.
White's value will be lowered by his need for a new contract this summer. That certainly raises concerns for the Wolves, given their already high payroll and White's poor defense. Still, if the Wolves can buy low on him, it could be worthwhile.
Schroder's playmaking, defense, and creation make him another intriguing option. Plus, he's under contract until 2028. While Schroder was on an expiring contract at the last deadline, he (along with Lindy Waters and a second-round pick) was traded for Josh Richardson, KJ Martin, and two second-round picks. As such, Schroder could be acquired for a cheaper deal than you might think.
All of these players fit the mold of mid-tier-salaried players who could fix the Wolves' point guard problem without breaking the bank. If they were to trade DiVincenzo for one of these players, it would be a disaster.
He is a better all-around player, and the Wolves would either be sacrificing shooting or defense if DiVincenzo were dealt. Furthermore, it would hurt their already limited depth, which has been equally problematic to their point guard issues.
Another possibility is that the Wolves simply trade for a player who is on a cheap deal, like Jose Alvarado or Kris Dunn. Ultimately, if the Wolves land a point guard, DiVincenzo will stay put, and that's a great thing for Minnesota.