Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo during an NBA game.
The Minnesota Timberwolves hope to improve their roster and boost their chances of winning the NBA Championship this season. Anthony Edwards has raised his greatness to another level and continues to be an All-NBA player. However, more help is likely needed for this squad to get over the hump after two consecutive postseasons falling short in the Western Conference Finals.
ESPN insider Brian Windhorst shared some details about Minnesota trying to get in the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes:
“The most aggressive team in the West right now is the Minnesota Timberwolves. They are in the game for Giannis. I don’t believe that their offers can outweigh the other offers, and I’m not even sure that Giannis is getting traded before Thursday. The Timberwolves are being aggressive. If they don’t make what I would call a Hail Mary Giannis deal, I think they are aggressively looking to upgrade their backcourt.”
Windhorst referenced multiple important details about the difficulty of a Giannis trade and how Minnesota is trying to explore all options before giving up. Even more interesting, the Timberwolves will try to add a new player for the backcourt if they fall short of adding Antetokounmpo as their dream target.
Timberwolves Needs Third Team For Giannis
The commentary from Windhorst on ESPN’s NBA Today show confirmed that the Milwaukee Bucks will likely shut down the Timberwolves’ offer in a one-on-one trade. Minnesota sent a lot of draft picks for Rudy Gobert and currently hold limited young assets to send in a realistic trade for an MVP caliber player.
However, they have hope of other teams showing interest in their players. The Timberwolves would have to part with some combination of Julius Randle, Jaden McDaniels and Donte DiVincenzo to lose some of their core players. Minnesota needs another contender to send young talent or draft picks to Milwaukee in a multi-team deal involving these names.
The likelihood of Giannis joining Edwards on the Timberwolves is highly unlikely, as even Windhorst uses the term “Hail Mary” as a miracle play if they can make it happen. Minnesota will still hold importance at the deadline since they are clearly motivated to make a move.
Timberwolves Backup Plans For Missing Giannis
The most realistic scenario for Minnesota at the trade deadline is adding one of the cheaper guards on the market. Coby White has been considered the best point guard on the market for them, especially since it would not require a massive package to acquire an upcoming free agent.
Other talented guards like Ayo Dosunmu, Tyus Jones and Collin Sexton could join the team without having to give up one of their core players. Minnesota could deal a young prospect on the roster and/or a future protected first round pick as the main trade compensation for these names.
Timberwolves management must be aggressive at the trade deadline, like the rumors claim. Edwards has taken them far two straight years, but more help is needed to finally reach the NBA Finals in the loaded Western Conference. Both big swings for Giannis and a more modest approach to adding a guard could change their future.