The Minnesota Timberwolves finally made the playoffs after a three-year wait. If we look at the totality of the picture, this was the second Timberwolves' appearance in the postseason since 2004. As they look to work on that success, the Wolves already made a move, trading for Rudy Gobert.
It emptied out their pick assets, but the Timberwolves can still look for deals around the league. There are some great players available, certainly guys that would hardly consider Minnesota in free agency. Thus, in that vein, let's look at two unrealistic trades Timberwolves must try to make in the 2022 NBA offseason.
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Unrealistic Timberwolves Trades In 2022 NBA Offseason
Timberwolves get Kyrie Irving; Nets get D'Angelo Russell
This is about as straight-up as one trade can be. Both are point guards, both on one-year deals, and both are apparently being shopped around the league. Given the fact that neither should really get the team a proper package, when we take the quality of the players into consideration, this might just be the best deal available.
At the end of the day, both of these guys are incredible players in their own regards and while Irving is regarded as the technically better, Russell has proven his worth in the last few years, most notably with the Nets. Without further ado, let's look at why both of these squads are making this deal happen.
From the Nets side, this just seems like a massive win. It does not necessarily mean that the Timberwolves would lose, but the Nets would win big here. Not only would they get rid of Irving, something that is almost an afterthought if Kevin Durant ends up leaving, but they get a fan favorite back.
After struggling in the Los Angeles Lakers, D'Angelo Russell came into his own playing for the Brooklyn Nets. He transformed the team from Eastern Conference bottom feeders, stuck without picks from that awful trade with the Boston Celtics, into a surprise playoff team. He was sacrificed to bring in Durant and Irving, but there is no doubt he would be accepted back by the Brooklyn crowd that really loved that Nets team, maybe even more than this superteam.
For the Timberwolves, it would be a great trade because this deal would give them a true championship window. If they were to stick with Russell, that would mean that the squad would be locked into this core and the reality is that Russell, Edwards, Towns, and Gobert are not winning a championship together.
However, Irving might win with them, as he is the better player of the two. Given the fact that Edwards will soon sign his max extension, and that Towns and Gobert are already resigned, there will be limited space for the Wolves to operate, so getting Irving and possibly getting him to sign an extension in Minnesota would be a great deal for the Wolves. Even if it is for one year, it is still a better chance for them to win than with Russell.
Timberwolves get Harrison Barnes; Kings get Josh Okogie and Taurean Prince (Okogie would be S+T)
This is not the most bombastic deal ever, as Barnes is not exactly a superstar, and neither are Okogie and Prince. However, this would be a good deal for both sides, as it would provide them with options to further advance their short and long-term plans.
For the Wolves, the plans are to be as strong as possible and to aim for a deep playoff run, possibly even a surprise run to the NBA Finals. For the Kings, it is clearing up space and building around De'Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, and Davion Mitchell. Let's look at why this deal provides both squads with exactly what they need.
The Kings do this deal because Prince is a cheap option for his production, while Okogie will not cost too much. They would be sending their third-best player to the Timberwolves in Harrison Barnes, but he is on an expiring contract and if they were to trade him later on in the year, even getting Prince and Okogie would be a pipe dream.
For their short-term plans, Okogie is a solid backup guard that could blossom with more playing time, while Prince is a great defender on the wings, with the ability to get hot from the three-point line. Both of them are going to cost under $10 million annually, so it would be a good financial deal, especially since the alternative is losing Barnes for free.
From the Timberwolves' side, they do this deal to fill up the last position that needs filling up – the wings. They have Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns manning the middle, D'Angelo Russell running the point, and Anthony Edwards providing the scoring from the guard positions.
In the position of small forward, that leaves Prince and while he is solid, he is not on the level of Barnes. Additionally, the former Mavs and Warriors player has championship experience, winning it all with the Dubs in 2015 and getting to the finals in 2016. Thus, getting Barnes, especially for this package, is a no-brainer for the Timberwolves.
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