Before the season began, the Minnesota Timberwolves completed a risky blockbuster trade. Instead of improving the team, the trade has set the franchise back a few steps. They’re still a playoff-caliber team, but that doesn’t come close to what they were last season.
The additions of Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo haven’t panned out the way the Wolves thought it would. Randle is really struggling to find his role playing alongside Rudy Gobert.
With trade rumors circulating, NBA analyst Bobby Marks of ESPN believes a three-team proposed blockbuster trade fixes the Minnesota’s chemistry issues. The three teams involved in the proposed trade are the Wolves, Chicago Bulls, and Utah Jazz.
The trade has Minnesota getting guard Coby White from Chicago and forward John Collins from Utah. The Bulls receive Randle from Minnesota and guard Jordan Clarkson from the Jazz. Finally, Utah acquires forward Jaden McDaniels from the Wolves, and guards Lonzo Ball and Chris Duarte from Chicago.
Marks believes this trade addresses some big needs for Minnesota.
“The Randle experiment has not worked in Minnesota, and two basketball reasons indicate why. Randle and Anthony Edwards both like to operate on-ball as primary offensive options off the dribble, but neither are strong enough ball handlers to consistently create team offense against set defenses. This leads to a lack of offensive synergy with these two as the primary options, and more of a your-turn-my-turn feel to the Timberwolves’ offense,” Marks wrote.
On paper, this trade solves huge problems for all three teams involved. One dilemma in this proposed trade is Chicago would have to go into the luxury tax. For Minnesota, it gives them a distributing guard that can also score. It also gives them a power forward that is a finisher/scorer to offset Gobert’s limited offensive ability in the post.
“The Timberwolves need their big-man scorer to be more finisher than initiator, and need a lead guard capable of consistently creating team offense while letting Edwards operate more as a scorer,” Marks added.
It may take a big blockbuster move like this to help Minnesota take the next step. The Western Conference is improving more with every season. They’ll need to address those two needs quickly if they want to be a legitimate contender.
MORE WOLVES NEWS: Timberwolves proposed trade swaps Julius Randle for $94 million star forward
