The Minnesota Timberwolves are coming off their best season since the Kevin Garnett era. But surprisingly, the Timberwolves still pulled off a bombshell trade just before the start of the 2024-2025 NBA season. The franchise made headlines after trading Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks. The players they received included former NBA Most Improved Player Award winner Julius Randle and sharpshooter Donte DiVincenzo. It was certainly a shocker, given that Towns was one of the major contributors in their rotation.
It doesn't seem likely that the Timberwolves will engage in another blockbuster trade. However, with the ownership spat concerning the Timberwolves and the WNBA's Minnesota Lynx, anything can still happen. Current owner Glen Taylor is now heading to arbitration with former MLB star Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore over the two basketball franchises, per Bleacher Report.
While it doesn't seem like the Timberwolves will make major roster changes, anything can happen in the NBA, so let's take a look at three Timberwolves trade candidates entering the 2024-25 season.
Naz Reid
There's no question that Naz Reid has been a revelation for the Timberwolves. He is fresh from a season that saw him crowned NBA Sixth Man of the Year. Reid has proven to be a vital piece in the Timberwolves rotation. But more importantly, the team will rely on him more to produce, especially after the departure of Towns.
Given that Reid is expected to be a major contributor for the Timberwolves, it's unlikely that he will be traded. However, it's worth noting that Reid will also be an unrestricted free agent during the 2025 offseason. That may mean the Timberwolves will want to prepare for the inevitable by at least getting some players in return for the veteran big man. While it would take an intense fallout or a lucrative deal to lure away Reid from Minnesota, anything can happen in the NBA, especially with a franchise dealing with an ownership problem.
With Reid becoming an unrestricted free agent soon, moving the 6-foot-10 center is still possible.
Jaden McDaniels
Another revelation on the Timberwolves roster is Jaden McDaniels. McDaniels established himself as an elite perimeter defender last year by making the NBA All-Defensive Second Team. Like Reid, McDaniels will be expected to be a major contributor for the Timberwolves this year. As a result, it's also unlikely to see the All-Defensive Team player being shopped around for a trade.
But given McDaniels' impact, there's no question that he's also an enticing player who any championship contender can trade for. Thanks to his defensive chops, contenders will be willing to dangle some interesting names for McDaniels.
To make matters more interesting, let's not forget that Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore would be keen on reducing costs for the Timberwolves franchise. McDaniels would be one of the players that can be used as trade bait in order to materialize their plans.
Rob Dillingham
Fresh from a deep run in the playoffs, one of the major additions to the Timberwolves roster was Rob Dillingham. The San Antonio Spurs selected the Kentucky star in the first round with the eighth overall pick at the 2024 NBA Draft. On the same night, the Timberwolves acquired him in exchange for some draft picks.
Dillingham has yet to prove himself to be an important piece in the Timberwolves rotation. He had a rollercoaster NBA Summer League stint. And in the ongoing 2024-2025 NBA season, the first-round draft pick has yet to see action. There's no question that a top pick like Dillingham possesses some potential. But with a loaded roster like Minnesota, it doesn't seem like the ideal place for him to develop.
Given that the Timberwolves don't exactly have a shortage of youth coupled with a loaded guard depth, Dillingham should be another trade asset that the Timberwolves can consider. Dillingham can be used as a trade filler or an additional name to throw whenever the Timberwolves are looking to execute a major deal. Furthermore, he should provide some youth and potential to any team he gets potentially traded to.
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