Something needs to change in Minnesota if the Timberwolves want to be taken seriously in the Western Conference. The team has talent. Karl-Anthony Towns is a legit superstar, Andrew Wiggins is having a nice bounce-back year and Jarrett Culver is full of potential. Yet, the Timberwolves just simply aren't there yet.
Through 47 games, Minnesota is 15-32 and nowhere near a playoff spot. Maybe its the team culture, maybe it's the front office, maybe its coaching or maybe, the Timberwolves just don't have the talent.
Regardless of what the problem is, the Timberwolves should either look to sell this trade deadline or, in my opinion, should try to add another star and address their biggest weakness in the process.
There are only two teams who shoot less than 33 percent from deep this season and Minnesota is one of them. Missing more than two-thirds of your three-pointers in a season simply isn't a recipe for success. Other than Towns, who is actually one of the best shooters in the league this season, the Timberwolves just don't have another high-volume outside shooter.
Enter: Buddy Hield. The Sacramento Kings are in a similar situation as the Timberwolves whereas they have promising young talent that just hasn't quite translated to wins yet. As a result, the Kings may be willing to offer up their star shooting guard.
Ever since his Oklahoma days, Hield was destined to be a knockdown shooter in the league. After a subpar first two seasons, the 6-foot-4 guard has become just that.
In the last two seasons, the native Bahamian has averaged over 20 points and five rebounds per game while shooting over 40 percent from deep for his career on over seven attempts a contest.
At 27 years old, Hield is in the athletic prime of his career and would give Minnesota exactly what they need: a high-volume knockdown shooter in the backcourt.
Trading for Hield would obviously be a risk as he likely won't be the cheapest. It might cost a promising young player like Culver or Josh Okogie, a solid veteran like Robert Covington, multiple draft picks or some sort of combination of the three but the Timberwolves should pull the trigger regardless.
Maybe Culver becomes that star player in the future — he has certainly shown flashes in his rookie season but the landscape of the team could look completely different by the time he figures things out.
They likely won't make the playoffs this year but if they want a more balanced and better team, it only makes sense to address your biggest need at the deadline. Plus, Minnesota fans could use something to get excited about as of late.
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