The Minnesota Timberwolves Need to Make Another Blockbuster Trade
The start of the 2024-2025 Minnesota Timberwolves season has been filled with ups and downs. But after coming back from a 19 point deficit on Monday night vs the LA Clippers, thanks to a 28 point second half from Anthony Edwards, the Wolves are now 18-17 and sit in 9th place in the Western Conference standings.
People started to doubt Anthony Edwards…
— Leighton Glodek (@LGlodek) January 7, 2025
Imagine that 🤣 pic.twitter.com/xTgWJQlsyQ
Even after last night’s win, serious questions remain regarding the sustainability of this Wolves roster and whether or not a starting lineup anchored by Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle can be efficient enough to make a deep playoff run.
Can Minnesota Timberwolves improve roster before NBA Trade Deadline
And improvements before the NBA trade deadline won’t be easy to come by, given Minnesota’s current luxury tax situation. In face, according to ESPN.com insiders, the Timberwolves have zero trade candidates… besides Joe Ingles.
Minnesota Timberwolves Trade candidates: None, but watch for Joe Ingles
The Timberwolves already made their big move before the season when they sent Karl-Anthony Towns to the Knicks in the deal that brought Donte DiVincenzo and Julius Randle to Minnesota. Though that move hasn’t paid off exactly as the Timberwolves hoped, another trade isn’t likely to provide the solution.
Minnesota doesn’t even have an obvious candidate to shed salary and cut the team’s massive luxury tax bill. Ingles has played sparingly, but the veteran’s locker room presence was always more likely to pay dividends than his on-court contributions.
ESPN NBA Insiders
This article was written by multiple “ESPN insiders” (apparently) but I’d like to know who gave this insider information on the Wolves, because it feels lazy. The Minnesota Timberwolves have a variety of talent on their roster that other teams around the league would love to get their hands on.
And there are no trade restrictions on new Wolves Julius Randle or Donte DiVincenzo. Who cares that Minnesota made a splash deal in the offseason. President of basketball operations, Tim Connelly, is known as a mover and shaker. And guess what? This roster needs some moving and shaking.
So, let’s take a look at some of the top trade candidates on the Minnesota Timberwolves roster, starting with Mr. Obvious.
Julius Randle: 30-years-old (Unrestricted FA w/Player Option)
Julius Randle’s fit with the Timberwolves has not gone according to plan this season. Although he has played just 34 games in a Wolves uniform, it’s already painfully clear that this 30-year-old former Kentucky big man does not fit on the Minnesota Timberwolves roster, especially next to Anthony Edwards.
Randle is averaging 19.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 4.5 assists, in 33.0 minutes per game. It’s his worst statistical season since 2017-18, his final season with the Los Angeles Lakers. Of course, Julius has had some bright moments as a Wolf, highlighted by his game winner against the Phoenix Suns.
Unfortunately, there have been a lot more low points, in those 35 games, than high points. And it’s not just about a long slump. He lacks effort and attention to detail on defense, something that does not at all align with the Wolves defensive identity.
Oh no Julius Randle.
— Hot Hand Theory (@HotHandTheory) December 7, 2024
There are times when falling asleep on defense is tenable, being solely responsible for covering Steph Curry off-ball is…not one of those times.pic.twitter.com/2tG04z8z7x
He’s also a ball-stopper on offense, and his presence negatively affects Minnesota’s floor spacing, which has proven to be a huge problem for Anthony Edwards. Because Randle isn’t a serious threat from 3-point land, opposing defenses are sagging into the lane in order to take away Ant’s driving lanes, forcing him to defer to less effective/talented scorers.
Related: Rob Dillingham Injury Update: Minnesota Timberwolves Top Pick Out for a While
It won’t be easy for the Minnesota Timberwolves to find a trade partner for Randle, given the luxury tax restrictions they are dealing with. But if there is one thing we have found out as sports fans in the modern internet era, it’s this: Where there is a will, there is a way. And Tim Connelly should have all the will to trade Julius Randle, in order to save what currently looks like a lost season of Anthony Edwards’ prime.
Jaden McDaniels: 24-years-old (Under Contract thru 2028-29)
Minnesota has been very patient with Jaden McDaniels. They have viewed Edwards and McDaniels as their 1-2 punch of the future for some time now. However, McDaniels is now in his fifth season, and he is averaging his lowest points per game total (9.8) since his second season.
In his third season, McDaniels averaged 12.1 points per game on elite efficiency as he shot 51.7% from the field and 39.8% from three. Last year, he had a drop off from his third season, but McDaniels was still productive. He averaged 10.5 points per game on 48.9% from the field and 33.7% from three.
Jaden McDaniels when wide open (closest defender 6+ feet away) / team-wide rank:
— Charlie Walton (@CharlieWaltonMN) January 4, 2025
— 100 attempts / 3rd
— 34% FG / 2nd worst*
McDaniels when closest defender is 4-6 feet away (what the NBA calls "open"):
— 22 attempts / 7th
— 22% FG / team worst*
*min of at least 20 attempts https://t.co/f3jwvER8VU
However, McDaniels has regressed even further this season. All of his shooting and scoring totals have dropped again. McDaniels is averaging 9.8 points per game on very poor shooting splits. He’s shooting a measly 43.6% from the floor and 31.8% from three.
Related: Timberwolves Recall Rookie Wing Hours After Demotion; Claim Another Rookie Off Waivers
It’s extremely alarming that McDaniels has regressed two years in a row, especially since he is still only 24 years old. McDaniels is elite on the defensive end, but the Timberwolves may decide they need more consistent scoring next to Edwards, and due to his regression and inefficiency on the offensive end, McDaniels could be the ideal trade candidate.
Big decisions lie ahead for Minnesota Timberwolves
Although the ESPN.com article listed no Timberwolves trade candidates, the front office may very well deem a trade necessary. We are only 34 games into the NBA season, but it currently looks like the Timberwolves made a mistake trading Karl-Anthony Towns. Of course, given their luxury tax situation, they probably didn’t have a choice.
Towns is having a career year in New York while the new look Wolves are struggling to mesh. Now the Wolves front office must decide whether they want to part with players like Randle or McDaniels, or riding out the season with the current roster and seeing if they can figure things out.
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