The Minnesota Timberwolves would be fighting for a play-in spot if the tournament were to be today. They have had a rollercoaster ride so far despite making some noise for pulling off one of the blockbuster trades in the offseason.
They acquired Rudy Gobert after trading five first-round picks this past summer and hoped that he would be the team’s third superstar alongside Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards, but the team has gone off-color and is now placed tenth in the West with a 16-20 record.
The Timberwolves have also been dealing with an injury to one of their star players. The team may have won three of their first four games ever since Towns went down with a calf strain, but they have seen a fair share of defeats soon after.
Making it all the more a reason for Minnesota from office to consider putting their trade window to good use and adding an offensive option to the mix. On that note, we take a look at some of the players the team could trade this season.
3. Bryn Forbes
The need of the hour for the Timberwolves is perimeter shooters, and an upgrade there provides some shooting. They haven’t seen much coming in from Bryn Forbes, who averages 3.2 points, 0.6 rebounds, and 0.6 assists this season.
Per Dunking With Wolves’ Bret Stuter, the best idea for the franchise would be to ship the guard, who is in his last season with a $2.2 million contract. Stuter felt that Forbes and veteran guard Austin Rivers could be put on the trade market.
Neither Rivers nor Forbes has seen much playing time in the Timberwolves rotations so far, and likely won’t with their limited contributions so far. With the younger and more effective options on the Timberwolves roster in Jaylen Nowell, Wendell Moore Jr., and Jordan McLaughlin, the Timberwolves are not in need of veterans to absorb minutes.
That means that both Rivers and Forbes are liabilities on the Timberwolves’ roster balance sheet right now. And this team has plenty of more vital and pressing matters to resolve from a coaching perspective.
Forbes has played seven seasons in the NBA, and his experience will surely help a young, rebuilding side.
2. Kyle Anderson
One of the players available for trade this season from the Minnesota roster is Kyle Anderson, who signed a two-year, $18 million contract with the franchise. He still has a year left on his contract with $9 million for the next season.
Anderson averages 7.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.4 assists this season and has logged in roughly 24 minutes. One of the proposed trade ideas, according to Dunking With Wolves, was the team trading him along with D’Angelo Russell (more on him next) to the Miami Heat in exchange for Kyle Lowry, Duncan Robinson, Max Strus, and a 2023 first-round pick.
The move does work for both sides. While Russell could be an apt fit for a wobbly Lowry, Anderson boosts the Heat with his defensive play. And for the Wolves, their acquisition of a first-round pick helps their case.
1. D’Angelo Russell
Russell is the third highest-paid player on the Timberwolves roster, with $31 million left in his final year. Recent reports suggest that the Miami Heat are interested in landing the point guard.
According to SKORNorth’s Darren Wolfson, the Heat have emerged as one of the teams looking to acquire him after their retained core hasn’t delivered to their full potential.
“I’m told that the Miami Heat are showing some trade interest, just a little bit, in D’Angelo Russell of the Wolves”
Via: @DWolfsonKSTP on KSTP
— Timberwolves Talk (@LetsTalk_Wolves) December 16, 2022
“I’m told that the Miami Heat are showing some trade interest, just a little bit, in D’Angelo Russell of the Wolves” Via: @DWolfsonKSTP on KSTP
It should also be worth noting that Russell and Jimmy Butler were teammates when the latter plied his trade for Minnesota, and that may be one of the factors. Russell has been pivotal for the Timberwolves this season, averaging 16.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 6.5 assists.
Player salaries via Spotrac.
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