The Minnesota Timberwolves feel poised to reshuffle the current roster around Anthony Edwards. With the values of Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert being uncertain, it's unlikely that they'll find a perfect trade, unless they pull off a miracle move for someone like Giannis Antetokounmpo or Kawhi Leonard.
One trade target who perfectly fits the idea of a flawed yet intriguing All-Star addition is Tyler Herro. The Miami Heat feel like a reasonable Julius Randle suitor given their past interest in him. Furthermore, it's expected that at least one of Herro or Norman Powell won't be back in South Beach, as they proved to be a poor fit with each other.Â
This could set the stage for Randle to be swapped for one of these players (Powell would be in a sign-and-trade scenario). Of the two, Herro is the more ideal fit for the Wolves given his age. Herro's 3-point shooting and overall shot creation would give the Wolves a massive boost.Â
While Herro isn't a traditional point guard, his 3-point shooting, general creation, and solid playmaking would allow him to fit smoothly next to Anthony Edwards. His 2024-25 All-Star campaign, where he averaged 23.9 points, offers hope that Herro could be a second option on a title-winning team.Â
There's one glaring red flag, though: Herro is a subpar defender. He's not disruptive as a defensive playmaker, and he also doesn't offer quality on-ball defense.
Like most Timberwolves trade targets, Herro offers a combination of risk and upside
Now, Herro's defense isn't enough to disqualify him as a possible trade target. Rather, the point is that trading for him would carry some level of risk, and having to cover up for him on defense would create a problem for the Wolves, especially in a playoff setting.Â
As noted earlier, the reality with just about any Wolves' possible trade is that you aren't going to find a perfect deal unless you win a bidding war for Giannis or Kawhi, which isn't likely given their lack of draft capital. Thus, the Wolves will presumably have to settle for a player with some level of risk.Â
Kyrie Irving and Dejounte Murray are often thrown around as trade targets by Wolves fans. I like the idea of trading for either player! However, you have to admit their injury history carries risk, and timeline-wise, they are a bit older.
Herro is a different type of risk as his concerns are more playstyle-based.Â
The Wolves have long had one of the best defenses, and if Rudy Gobert sticks around, he might be enough to cover up Herro's deficiencies. Still, it's highly possible Gobert gets moved this offseason, and even if he stays, all it takes is one weak defender for you to be exposed in the playoffs.
Perhaps Herro can uplift the Wolves' offense to a level where this doesn't matter, but that's not guaranteed.Â
Despite his defensive flaws, Herro remains a high-end trade target in my eyes, especially given the possibility for a Herro-Randle swap.Â
Overall, if the Wolves are hoping to simply swap Randle or Gobert, they have to be comfortable taking a gamble of sorts, and in Herro's case, this would involve rolling the dice on his defensive flaws. Â
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