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The Minnesota Timberwolves are not in a very good spot right now. They are presently ranked 11th in the Western Conference with a 16-18 record. They are currently behind the Golden State Warriors for the last play-in berth. The Timberwolves have also lost their last three games as of this writing. Suffice it to say that this team has played well below expectations, especially after they added Rudy Gobert to the core of Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards, and D'Angelo Russell. There are several issues with this team right now, like rebounding, turnovers, and three-point shooting. Will they address these issues by making a move by the trade deadline? We'll see. Here we will look at a couple of 2023 NBA trade deadline predictions for the Timberwolves.
The Timberwolves' current season has not gone as planned. Despite the high hopes for the team after acquiring Rudy Gobert in the offseason, they have struggled and their record reflects that. This has led to concerns about the direction of the team and how they can turn things around.
One issue that has plagued the Timberwolves is their shooting. Keep in mind that they rank 24th in the league with a 34.4 percent three-point shooting rate. In fact, only a few players on the team, such as Austin Rivers, Taurean Prince, and Naz Reid, are shooting above 38 percent. In order to improve their offense, the Wolves should consider adding low-cost shooters to complement Gobert, Edwards, Towns, and Russell.
Unfortunately, the team's options for making significant changes are limited. The core of the group is unlikely to change this season due to the long-term commitment to Gobert and the lack of options for trading first-round picks. This means that the team will have to get creative in finding ways to improve. One possibility could be making a trade for a mid-tier wing player. However, it remains to be seen if Coach Chris Finch and GM Tim Connelly will be willing to pull the trigger on this type of move.
Ultimately, it may take more than a single trade to fully turn things around for the Timberwolves. The team may need more help than a single trade can provide. However, the kind of help they need may be out of their reach. It will be interesting to see what steps the team takes to try and meet the high expectations that were set for them at the start of the season.
Now, let's discuss a couple of way-too-early predictions for the Timberwolves at the 2023 NBA trade deadline.
1. Timberwolves will keep D'Angelo Russell
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The Timberwolves made a significant move in the offseason by acquiring Rudy Gobert. However, this acquisition depleted their draft capital. As they look for ways to reshape their roster, they do have some valuable trade assets at their disposal. One of these assets is forward Jaden McDaniels. He has actually garnered interest from numerous NBA executives. Still, despite receiving offers for McDaniels in the past, the Timberwolves have chosen to keep him and make him a full-time starter this season. They view him as a core member of the team and an important part of their future.
Another potential trade asset for Minnesota is D'Angelo Russell. Remember that his contract is set to expire at the end of this season. His $31.3 million contract could be valuable in a potential trade. However, the Timberwolves may be hesitant to make another big trade after the Gobert acquisition did not go as planned. Alternatively, they could choose to let Russell's contract expire and explore the 2023 free-agent market for players who fit their core. Ultimately, the Timberwolves will have to weigh the potential risks and rewards of making a trade. The onus falls on Finch and Connelly to decide the best course of action for their team.
D'Angelo Russell was on one in the 4th quarter 🔥
20 points
7-of- 7 FG
6-of-6 3PTpic.twitter.com/NYFzbOpsWk— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 10, 2022
2. Timberwolves trade for a 3-and-D wing
In normal circumstances, it might be challenging to advocate for the Timberwolves to make any moves. They just underperform on both ends of the court. It's also unclear what their path to improvement would look like. The Gobert deal really left the Timberwolves without the ability to make a big trade in the coming months. Instead of looking for another major move, the team should focus on finding 3-and-D players to fill in around their star players.
One way to do this is by upgrading their wings. Players like Alec Burks of the Detroit Pistons, Gary Trent Jr. of the Toronto Raptors, and Kelly Oubre Jr. of the Charlotte Hornets could all be potential targets. Burks brings both three-point shooting and playmaking ability, while Trent would be a strong scorer and defender. Oubre is a less reliable version of the same model but has some explosiveness as a natural athlete.
The Timberwolves could potentially include players such as Taurean Prince and Wendell Moore Jr. in a trade. Both bring valuable shooting and potential for the future. While a single trade may not completely solve the team's problems, adding 3-and-D players could help improve their performance and provide some much-needed depth.
