The Timberwolves made arguably the biggest trade of the offseason at the start of training camp when they sent Karl-Anthony Towns to New York in a deal that saw Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo head to Minnesota. That might not have been their last major move of the 2024/25 league year.
According to Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst of ESPN (Insider link), Minnesota is being viewed by rival decision-makers as a “potential player” on the in-season trade market.
As ESPN’s duo explains, one reason why the Timberwolves are considered a team with a move to make is that Randle and DiVincenzo haven’t been perfect fits in Minnesota so far. Windhorst notes that scouts and executives have pointed to Randle’s “ball-stopping” habit as a factor that has slowed down the Wolves’ offense, while Bontemps cites a scout who says DiVincenzo is being asked to be more of a play-maker with his new team, something he didn’t really do in New York.
“When you watch them you can see the guys who can be free agents (Randle and Naz Reid) get frustrated at times,” one scout told ESPN. “If they were winning more it probably wouldn’t be an issue, but it’s one of the things that happens when a team underachieves.”
“Just because you’re trading for talent, it has to be the right fit. They have to learn and adjust,” another scout said. “Making a trade that late (in the offseason) is hard. So I’m empathetic.”
Bontemps and Windhorst don’t specify exactly what the Timberwolves might be looking for or what sort of assets they’d be willing to give up, but it’s worth noting that both Randle and Reid can be free agents if they decline 2025/26 player options and it’s unclear if the team would be willing to extend both, given that the Towns trade was at least partly financially motivated.
Minnesota also has a lot riding on veteran point guard Mike Conley, an important connecting piece on offense who has had an up-and-down age-37 so far, making just 35.4% of his field goal attempts. It would make sense for the team to try to find another reliable point guard who could organize the offense when Conley sits and provide much-needed insurance for a player who missed a few games in November due to injury. The Wolves have been significantly better with Conley on the court (+7.4 net rating) than off it (+0.2) and went 0-4 in the games he missed.
Still, making a trade won’t be easy, given that the Wolves are operating above the restrictive second tax apron and don’t have any of their own future first-round picks available to move (they do have one protected first-rounder from Detroit). There are still two months to go until the 2025 trade deadline and Minnesota has looked good this week, with back-to-back blowout wins over the Clippers and Lakers, neither of whom scored more than 80 points. If the Wolves can keep playing like that, a deadline move may not be necessary.
MIN should be sellers, once you trade KAT, the best player of the team, they are done, as they have been showing this year… management threw the towel, so that’s all folks!!!
Time to rebuild.
Not even close! KAT is a great player, and I hated to see him go but this is Ant’s team! He is the best player. We are far away from needing to rebuild. Randle is not a good fit for us. We need tweaks and then we’re right back in the thick of things.
El Don has infatuations with random players that distort his opinions, so don’t take them too seriously
That KAT trade made both teams worse. Both sides should never have done it.
How did it make the Knicks worse? KAT has been a big positive for the Knicks in my view.
The Knicks are a lot better but they are missing the depth, you could say the OG trade hurt them more imo
@brabo – the Knicks are a lot better but are missing depth. That would be a good thing…they’re a lot better. Depth is coming back due to injuries – PA and MR.
OG trade hurt them? The guy has been playing off the charts on both ends of the court.
Another stupid take from Babey J who only knows Moody is Him.
Probably the worst comment since your last worst comment, which was your last comment.
Ant ain’t that good, just a high volume shooter, he has some potential to be a top 20 player in the league one day, but… KAT is an MVP type of player!!!
I mean you can’t compare them at all!
Also KAT is a winner, Ant, not so much.
As I said MIN was very lucky to beat a far superior team like DEN due to injuries only, they had their run, they already peaked!
Jimmy Butler may disagree with your assessment of KAT as a “winner”.
Lmao Edwards (166-156) literally has a higher career winning percentage than Towns (283-310), even if that were a useful metric for comparing basketball players (it’s not)
KAT also played solo for many years. AE had KAT. Guess you didn’t think of that.
KAT is an MVP type of player who has never received a single MVP vote. Plus ANT has already made an All-NBA 2nd team, while KAT never went beyond 3rd team.
This is like the scene in Airheads when David Arquette tries to get back into the radio station lol. You made a bad decision. Sorry wolves.
Pathetic really. They were knocking on the door last year and blew it up to save some scrilla.
Wolves viewed as “desperate”
Wolves fans wanted the ARod era to be different…
But they got more Glen Taylor style management…
This should be easy
Waive Dozier and two way J Edwards
Trade Randle and Garza to Houston for Jabari Smith Jr, Jeff Green, Landale and Tate
Waive Tate. Sign Dozier again if possible. Sign a young C on a two way contract
NVM about Tate waiving and the Dozier resigning* yes look for a young C on a two way contract though
Yup. Houston is going to move their top talent players who they control on cheap contracts for a soon to be free agent as they sit in second place.
Put the pipe down.
Top talent players….. Who are they? Jabari Smith Jr sure. He is not playing well and doesn’t mesh with them. I didn’t know Jeff Green, Tate and Landale were top level talent haha
I’ll put the pipe down when you put your pipe down too
Less moaning about their situation,
If the issue is Conleys lack of shooting efficiency, old age and Donte’s lack of playmaking ability clearly the signs are saying you need a better back up point guard either as a starter over Conley or back up that can provide a good amount of impact. Long term obviously the plan is Dillingham but for whatever reason he isn’t the solution just yet it seems
Considering their salary situation I think there are two good targets/options
Dennis Schroder or TJ McConnell
Dennis is starting for Brooklyn started the year off really well and provides really solid impact. He’s capable as a starter or coming off the bench, can be a scoring threat, shooting option pr playmaker and isn’t terrible defensively.
TJ is definitely more of a back up option, better defensively and would suit a playmaking role rather than scoring role which is fine with the level of talent they have off the bench.
Dennis will definitely cost you more but depending on how he goes could succeed Conley and act as a bridge PG before Dillingham.
TJ will cost you less and could suit their style more but isn’t likely to hang around long on an expiring deal and already being abit older aswell.
In terms of making a deal it’s likely Donte is gone and for Dennis you’d likely need more incentives for Brooklyn and for TJ your well underselling him, and actually helping Indy I think.
Those would be my suggestions
Trade Randle and Alexander-Walker for a young PF starter and a back up PG who can play some minutes. Waive two way J Edwards and sign a young C and SG prospects.
Or waive Dozier and J Edwards, sign E Payton(a standard contract) and John Butler(or another young C)on a two way contract. Develop Miller at PF
The Knicks have Robinson to trade when ge gets back. Lakers need a center.
Knicks need MR. He isn’t going anywhere.
So…Wolves do have a Pistons future first they can trade.
Good catch, forgot they had that one.