Timberwolves Desperately Trying to Close Giannis Deal… But Won’t Offer Jaden?
What are the Minnesota Timberwolves going to do at the NBA trade deadline, which is now just three days away?
That’s the question many around the league are trying to find answers to early this week. Getting a deal done for Giannis Antetokounmpo has been categorized as nearly impossible, given the Wolves luxury tax restrictions.
MN Timberwolves still very much in on Giannis Antetokounmpo
But per usual, those roadblocks will not stop president of basketball operations Tim Connelly from exhausting every possible avenue, just in case. According to Brian Windhorst (ESPN), the Timberwolves are still very much in the running for Giannis.
In fact, Windhorst claims no team is trying harder to land the 7-foot unicorn than Minnesota. That’s why Connelly is “trying to recruit” third and forth teams to try and bring the deal across the finish line before the February 5 trade deadline.
“[The Timberwolves] are in the game for Giannis. And unlike some of those other teams, that may not be as aggressive, when Shams says “aggressive team”, he’s talking about the Wolves! Because they’re out there recruiting third and fourth teams to try and improve their offer, to see if they can get Giannis.”
Brian Windhorst – ESPN (NBA Today)
Still, like many others across the league, Windy remains skeptical that Minnesota has what it takes to entice Milwaukee into pulling the trigger on Giannis.
We still aren’t sure how much the Bucks really want to deal their 2x league MVP, before the offseason. It’s also becoming more and more clear just how convoluted the trade must be, in order to appease all sides, and the NBA’s luxury tax restrictions.
Giannis still wants Minnesota… but it could cost Jaden McDaniels
Unlike their chase for Kevin Durant last year, it sounds like Giannis Antetokounmpo’s number one destination is Minnesota — a fact that is clearly working in their favor. Mark Stein reports on a new episode of his “Deals and Dunks” podcast that Giannis has an NBA crush on Anthony Edwards.
Another thing that’s become more and more obvious, as we get closer to the deadline — if the Wolves are going to land Giannis, the package back to Milwaukee will have to include Jaden McDaniels — who does not appear to be on the table, as of yet.
Full Audio: pic.twitter.com/uqxTjCyxcm
— Heat Central (@HeatCulture13) February 2, 2026
“There has been Wolves, Giannis chatter going back to the summer. Based on everything I know, it’s largely sparked by Antetokounmpo’s admiration for Ant Edwards.
Giannis is said to be an Anthony Edwards fan and would like to end up with him if he’s leaving Milwaukee and we know the Wolves [PoBO] Tim Connelly is as aggressive as it gets in terms of NBA front office executives..
[But] the only way the Wolves can construct a deal now, they’re going to have to include Jaden McDaniels. They do not want to trade Jaden McDaniels. They had McDaniels out of Kevin Durant talks.”
Marc Stein – Deals and Dunks Podcast
If the Minnesota Timberwolves aren’t going to include Jaden McDaniels in the deal, I cannot see how they end up with the best offer for Milwaukee. If that is indeed the lynchpin in current negotiations, we might be waiting until the offseason.
Should Connelly put Jaden McDaniels in the deal, it feels like they could very well have a package that could get the Bucks to say yes. If it’s me, I’m doing it. But we’ll see if Tim feels the same way.
Minnesota Timberwolves ready to pivot back to point guard
If the MN Timberwolves decide to give up on their Giannis aspirations, then it sounds Connelly’s backup plan remains a starting point guard — though that too will be difficult to get done, given their luxury tax limitations.
“If they don’t, which I think it’s a longshot, you can see them making a backup deal for a guard.”
Brian Windhorst – ESPN (NBA Today)
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