The Minnesota Timberwolves have spent weeks circling the biggest name on the market. They are dreaming about what Giannis Antetokounmpo could mean next to Anthony Edwards. That swing makes sense, of course. Superstars do change timelines. The trade deadline, though, is ruthless. Reality rarely waits for dreams to materialize. If Giannis doesn’t land in Minnesota by February 5, the Timberwolves cannot afford to walk away empty-handed. This team is too good, too close, and too exposed in one crucial area. The right move isn’t flashy. It’s functional, surgical, and designed to win playoff possessions when everything tightens. There is one trade the Wolves must make if the Giannis chase ends in silence.
Contender with a ceiling
Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) celebrates with Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) after making a shot against the Golden State Warriors in the first half during game five of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Target Center
Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
Minnesota currently sits at 31-20. They are firmly entrenched in the Western Conference’s top tier and well within striking distance of home-court advantage. The foundation remains elite. Edwards has taken the full leap into MVP territory. he pours in 29.4 points per game with an increasingly refined shot diet. Meanwhile, Rudy Gobert continues to anchor a top-five defense that travels every night. The Julius Randle-Donte DiVincenzo pairing, now deeper into its second season together, has provided consistency and toughness. This has allowed Chris Finch to keep his defensive identity intact even during injury stretches.
Yet the cracks are visible if you look closely. Edwards’ recent back spasms have forced Minnesota to manage his minutes more carefully. Mike Conley’s age also shows most clearly when he’s asked to create late in games against elite defenses. Losses haven’t come from being outclassed, though. They’ve come from stagnation. When Ant sits, the offense slows to a crawl. When defenses load up late, the Wolves too often run out of answers.
One move short
The Wolves’ recent 4-6 stretch has reinforced what the coaching staff already knows. This team’s ceiling depends on having a secondary creator who can bend the defense without resetting the entire offense around him. Minnesota doesn’t need another star. It needs a release valve. They need a player who can steal six minutes in the second quarter, or flip a fourth-quarter possession when everything breaks down.
That need becomes more urgent in a West loaded with disciplined defenses. Oklahoma City, Denver, and San Antonio don’t give up easy shots. They force you to win late-clock possessions. Minnesota has Ant for that. What it doesn’t consistently have is someone who can punish single coverage when Ant is doubled.
Trade rumors: Giannis or pivot
The Timberwolves’ name has been everywhere in the Giannis discourse. Insiders have made it clear. Minnesota is aggressive, creative, and willing to loop in multiple teams. However, they’re also constrained. Second Apron rules, limited first-round picks, and the reality of matching salary for a $54M player make the path narrow.
League consensus is shifting toward this uncomfortable truth: if Giannis doesn’t happen, Tim Connelly pivots quickly. The buzz has moved toward stabilizing the backcourt. They might look at targets who don’t require tearing apart the rotation or mortgaging future flexibility. That’s where the Wolves’ smartest option emerges.
The one trade Minnesota must make
This trade would be a low-cost, high-impact pivot to the New York Knicks.
Timberwolves receive: Jordan Clarkson
Knicks receive: Jaylen Clark, 2026 second-round pick (less favorable of DEN/GSW)
On paper, this looks modest. In practice, it’s potentially transformative.
Why the deal works financially
Minnesota is a Second Apron team. That means flexibility is razor-thin. That said, Clarkson’s veteran minimum contract (approximately $2.2M) changes the equation.
Jaylen Clark’s salary sits around $2.1M. As such, there is no gap to bridge. This route keeps the Wolves compliant without triggering hard-cap penalties or long-term consequences. This is exactly the kind of move Second Apron teams are designed to make. It is small, targeted, and impactful.
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Why the Timberwolves do it
The bench scoring problem:
Minnesota’s bench has been inconsistent all season. Clarkson instantly becomes the Wolves’ most dangerous second-unit scorer. He is a former Sixth Man of the Year who thrives in chaos. Clarkson also doesn’t need structure. He creates it.
Low risk, real upside:
Clarkson is on a minimum deal. If it doesn’t work, there’s no cap hangover. They also don't have neither asset regret, nor ripple effect into future summers. If it does work, Minnesota gains a playoff weapon without sacrificing rotation integrity.
Protecting Ant and Conley:
Edwards shouldn’t have to score 40 for the Wolves to survive tight games. Clarkson allows Minnesota to stagger lineups more aggressively. He can keep offensive pressure on the floor while preserving Conley’s legs for crunch time.
Why the Knicks agree
For New York, this is really about clarity. Clarkson has fallen in and out of the rotation. Right now, it looks like the Knicks are prioritizing defense and flexibility. They convert a non-rotation player into a young defensive wing in Jaylen Clark plus a draft asset. That seems like a clean, efficient transaction that aligns with their depth-focused strategy.
The real impact: Changing late-game geometry
New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) warms up before the game against the Washington Wizards at Madison Square Garden.
Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
The true value of this trade shows up in the final six minutes.
The gravity shift:
Defenses currently treat Minnesota like a one-sun system. They can collapse on Edwards and dare someone else to shoot. Clarkson breaks that math. He’s comfortable taking and making shots that most role players won’t even consider. That confidence alone changes coverage.
The two-headed snake:
In three-guard lineups with Edwards, Conley, and Clarkson, Minnesota forces impossible choices. Blitz Ant? Clarkson attacks the scramble. Stay home? Edwards cooks. Switch? Clarkson hunts mismatches without hesitation.
Matchup insurance:
Against Oklahoma City’s disciplined perimeter defenders, Clarkson’s unpredictability is an asset. Against the Nuggets’ firepower, he gives Minnesota a puncher’s chance to match scoring bursts without exhausting its star.
Bottom line
If the Wolves land Giannis Antetokounmpo, everything changes. If they don’t, though, the season doesn’t end yet. It may even sharpen. Jordan Clarkson isn’t a superstar. He’s a gamebreaker in the margins. For a team chasing playoff separation in the West, that may be exactly the move that matters most.