The Timberwolves have been making headlines for a few months now because of one reason alone: Ben Simmons. The team has been rumored to be the most interested in making a move for the Philadelphia 76ers star. However, things may change now after the franchise parted ways with President of Basketball Operations Gersson Rosas.
It's unclear to this point exactly why the Timberwolves decided to do this with the season rapidly approaching, but what could it mean for Simmons?
By no means should this push the Timberwolves out of the Simmons talks, but there are certainly things going on with the organization that could come before a trade for the Sixers' want-away star. The organization promoted Sachin Gupta to President of Basketball Operations shortly after the announcement, and he is best known for literally creating the NBA trade machine from ESPN. Who knows how much that helps in real trades, but it's worth something.
Sachin Gupta being hired could mean the Timberwolves plan to further pursue the Sixers playmaker. However, another reason this doesn't put the Simmons rumors to bed at all is because the Timberwolves have new ownership that could be wanting to make splash. Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore recently bought the Timberwolves and are set to take over soon as the majority owners. For now, they are only minority owners but there's no doubt they have a strong say already in what goes on behind the scenes.
Bringing in a star like Ben Simmons just a couple months into their ownership would do a couple things for them that are positive. First, it would stop people from focusing on what is going on today. Firing your president just weeks before the season begins is always going to create a huge mess and that's where the Timberwolves currently are. Bringing in Simmons creates excitement rather than confusion.
Second, getting Simmons gives the Timberwolves a chance to start this new era under Rodriguez and Lore with a winning team.
Very few people or teams around the league view Simmons as they did just one year ago. Ever since the infamous refusal to dunk in the NBA playoffs, rumors of a trade have been swirling. The Timberwolves have been the one constant with these rumors and now find themselves atop the list of betting favorites to land the Aussie. That could change with Rosas being fired because it was well known how much he wanted Simmons.
Overall, the Timberwolves are just doing Timberwolves things. This franchise has been a mess for years, basically ever since Kevin Garnett left, and it continues to be a mess in Minnesota. Rosas had basically made this entire roster himself and this looked like a huge prove it year for the team.
Currently their path is unclear, but things can quickly make a turn for the better if a Simmons trade is accomplished. To all the Wolves fans out there, things will be better eventually. Just maybe not this season.
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