Earlier this afternoon, Adrian Wojnarowski (ESPN) reported that financial paperwork handed into the league by A-Rod and Lore projected a significant drop in player salary projections for the 2024-25 season, in order to get below the luxury tax line. In his piece, Woj suggests that a reduction like that meant the likely trade of a max player, but didn’t name any names.

Lore, A-Rod era would start with KAT, McDaniels on Timberwolves trade block

Hours later, he went on NBA Countdown (ESPN) and sat down with Malika Andrews to follow-up on his original report. This time, Woj comfortably names two likely Timberwolves players who would have been on the trade block, had Lore and A-Rod completed their purchase. As I originally suspected, Karl-Anthony Towns was one name, Jaden McDaniels was the other.

As a follow up to his original report, Woj names Karl-Anthony Towns and Jaden McDaniels as two likely trade candidates this offseason, had Marc Lore and A-Rod completed their purchase of the Timberwolves. pic.twitter.com/I6MR5mCvw8

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) April 10, 2024

“Mark Lore, Alex Rodriguez [according to the] financial projections that they gave to the league office, to Glen Taylor, to a private equity firm, showed that they planned to drop down below the luxury tax, in their first season next year.

It’d be about a $25 million reduction in the payroll of this Timberwolves team, which would ultimately mean you’re going to trade one of their significant players. They’ll have three max players on their roster next year, so potentially that’s a Karl-Anthony Towns, a Jaden McDaniels. And that was among the concerns that Glen Taylor took into consideration when he voided that deal.”

Adrian Wojnarowski – NBA Countdown (ESPN)

I’ll be interested to see what this means for the Minnesota Timberwolves’ plans for Towns, should Taylor be successful in retaining majority ownership of the team. I’m not saying he leaked this report, but if trying to get below the luxury tax next season really did “spook” him from completing this deal, then what would be his reasoning for trading Karl-Anthony Towns in the offseason?

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Because there’s a legitimate argument to be made that Naz Reid is ready for a starting role in the NBA; that having KAT on the Wolves roster may not be worth how much you have to pay him, combined with the luxury tax ramifications.

But after these Woj bombs were dropped today, none of that really matters. If Taylor is still running the show this offseason and he signs off on a trade involving Towns that drops Minnesota below the luxury tax threshold, no reasonable explanation would convince the fanbase that he didn’t turn around and do exactly what this report is meant to scare fans into thinking A-Rod and Lore are going to do, if they get majority ownership.

Minnesota Timberwolves Monte Morris Trade Rumors

There has been some predictions, and some names thrown out there for the Timberwolves to target, but today on the Mackey and Judd Show, Darren Wolfson said specifically that president of basketball operations, Tim Connelly, is going after Detroit Pistons guard, Monte Morris, who played for Connelly in Denver. Wolfson has brought up Morris quite often as a possible target recently, but here he makes it official.

“The Wolves absolutely can finish top four. Then, to me, it comes down to matchups; first round of the playoffs, who do they match up against? But they will continue to make calls. Yeah, the trade deadline – two weeks from today – Monte Morris, Detroit Pistons guard, who Tim Connelly had in Denver. The Wolves tried to acquire him last summer, they will try again this time around.

He looked pretty good season debut last night, looked pretty good so just another name to keep an eye and I’m not saying it’s him or bust but we’re thinking about the possibility of adding and the Wolves realize the window is open you need to add I will be very very surprised if they don’t do something”

Related: If Kyle Lowry Hits the Buyout Market, Timberwolves are a Team to Watch

Morris returned to the court on Wednesday night for his season debut, after being sidelined for 43 games due to two injuries. In just 11 minutes off the bench, he contributed seven points, three rebounds and three assists; shooting 3-of-4 from the field, including one 3-pointer.

"He just knows how to play. He has his own pace… His pace to hold the guy off and create the pocket space for our bigs to catch – and then the threat of him knocking down the shot – is just huge for us."
– Monty Williams on @BigGameTae pic.twitter.com/QeZv1hr3f8

— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) January 25, 2024

Other Timberwolves Trade Rumors as Deadline Approaches

Last season, Morris played 62 games for the Wizards and starting in 61 of them. He averaged 10.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game, while maintaining shooting percentages of 48.0% overall and 38.2% from beyond the arc.

Wolfson mentioned its also not Morris or bust, there are plenty of solid players available on the trade market that make sense for the Timberwolves.

Related: Are Minnesota Timberwolves on Pace for Best Season in Franchise History?

In reality, the Timberwolves’ roster doesn’t really have a weakness. But obviously, some areas are stronger than others. There are two bench roles, specifically, that president of basketball operations, Tim Connelly, will be looking to improve upon.

What are the Timberwolves looking for at the NBA trade deadline

The Wolves could use a proven 3-point sharpshooter that head coach Chris Finch can trust to hit nearly as many threes as he misses, over the next 41 games and deep into whatever playoff run this team ends up making. The other very specific player on Connelly’s trade deadline shopping list is a high-end backup point guard.

Mike Conley has been next level during the first half of the season. But the Timberwolves could use a high-end, trustworthy playmaker who can run the 2nd unit at a high level and spell Conley without causing Finchy a sideline heart attack.

5 Players the Minnesota Timberwolves should target

Who is buying and who is selling at the deadline is becoming more and more clear every day and there have been multiple players that the Timberwolves have been linked to in one way or another. Here are 5 trade deadline targets that Tim Connelly and the Minnesota Timberwolves have been mentioned next to in one way or another

Alex Caruso (PG) – Chicago Bulls

In the race for the postseason, any team would find value in having a player like Alex Caruso. He demonstrated his ability to play championship-winning playoff minutes with the Lakers during their 2019-20 playoff run and he’s the exact type of player the Wolves covet. He’s the #5 player available at the NBA trade deadline, according to The Athletic’s big board, which named the Timberwolves as a great landing spot.

The Timberwolves currently have the top defense in the league this season, and Caruso would make them even better on that side of the court. There’s a reason why the former Texas A&M Aggie has built a reputation as one of the premier defensive guards in the league.

pic.twitter.com/i2pmi9VkV2

— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) November 9, 2023

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On the offensive front, he shines as one of the most selfless and team-oriented players, showcasing the ability to make open shots with consistency. This would be a crucial move if the Wolves were to trade for him, and it would undoubtedly improve the best defense in the league.

Quentin Grimes (SG) – New York Knicks

There have been recent rumors about Grimes’ future in New York. He has developed well over his short career so far, and had a solid 2022-23 season, maintaining an average of 11.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game, with a shooting percentage of 47% from the field and an impressive 39 percent from beyond the arc.

Clutch 3 by Quentin Grimes to put the Knicks up by 4. pic.twitter.com/IWDXihNFRe

— hoops bot (@hoops_bot) January 12, 2023

Additionally, he willingly embraces challenging defensive assignments on the wing, displaying both physicality on the ball and adeptness in staying in front of opposing players. However, this season hasn’t gone as planned for Grimes, who has faced challenges with illness and a sprained left wrist, causing him to miss some games back in November.

Grimes remains incredibly valuable on defense but there are more and more questions being raised regarding his offensive skills, outside of knocking down 3-point shots. He’s also been falling out of favor a bit, in New York, after they traded for OG Anunoby a couple weeks ago.

The Wolves wouldn’t need Grimes to do anything other than hit 3’s. If he gains confidence and blossoms into more than that down the road, then even better. Either way, he makes a lot of sense as a target before the deadline. He too is named as a fit by The Athletic’s big board.

Bogdan Bogdanović (SG) – Atlanta Hawks

Bogdanović is having a solid season, and with the Hawks facing challenges, they seem eager to make changes. As of January 14, he holds averages of 17.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.7 assists for the entire season, but his performance has been particularly impressive since the middle of November. Bogdanović would play a huge role for the Timberwolves offense if they were to acquire him.

Bogdan Bogdanovic is leading the NBA in PPG off the bench at 17.2

1 of just 7 players to have made a 3 in every game they've played

he's shooting 37% from 3 on over 8 3PA

the MOST steals by a bench player this season (51), 10th overall

14th in total assists by a bench player… https://t.co/mgtH33wvH0 pic.twitter.com/lt8h3wZlkb

— #InSnyderWeTrust (@dlee4three) January 14, 2024

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Bogdanović has a drawback, he tends to get injured and hasn’t played over 63 games in a season since 2019. At 31, he’s in the first year of a four-year contract. This might worry the Timberwolves due to his injury history. The deal has three more years and $49.3 million left, but the last season is a team option.

Tyus Jones (PG) – Washington Wizards

The Apple Valley stud and former Timberwolf, Tyus Jones has been talked about a lot this season as he finally got a starting opportunity in Washington. Last week, we wrote about how the Timberwolves should go get Tyus Jones because he’s probably the best fit of any player on this list.

If the Wolves make only one move between now and February 8, they should bring Tyus Jones home. Jones has made significant strides in his shooting this season. Despite a sluggish start, he is currently experiencing the most extended hot streak of his career, hitting over 50 percent of his 3-pointers since mid-December.

If Tyus maintains this level of shooting proficiency, he could establish himself as a legitimate NBA starter and (bonus) give the Wolves and perfect option to succeed Mike Conley in a couple of years.

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Doug McDermott (SF) – San Antonio Spurs

Doug McDermott is another trade option that we’ve written about recently, after he was linked to the Wolves by ESPN, in a piece that called for Tim Connelly to trade Kyle Anderson for him. Adding McDermott would add another solid shooter to the offense. The Spurs who have barely won any games are looking to get of McDermott has his contract expires after this year.

These possibilities present realistic trade options for the Timberwolves. Despite the team’s current strong performance, there’s a debate about whether it’s worth risking team chemistry. On the flip side, bringing in one of these players could be the deciding factor between winning a championship or not. Who would you prefer the Timberwolves to trade for?

Related: Why the Timberwolves Must Land Tyus Jones at the NBA Trade Deadline

But most of that came last year, when he averaged over 28 minutes per game. Anderson’s role has gradually diminished, this season, though. Kyle has started just two games and he’s getting dangerously close to falling under 20 minutes per game.

There aren’t a lot of rotations in either conference that is as difficult to crack as Minnesota’s right now. That’s why he and another proven veteran who isn’t getting very many minutes, Shake Milton, are both being thrown around as possible trade pieces before the February 8th deadline.

Kyle Anderson for Doug McDermott?

• Spurs Receive: Kyle Anderson
• Wolves Receive: Doug McDermott

Minnesota has struggled with versatile Kyle Anderson (1.1 3-point attempts per 36 minutes) on the court in particular and might do well to flip him — in the final season of his contract — for a player of similar overall ability but better shooting. Would the San Antonio Spurs consider bringing back Anderson in a deal built around Doug McDermott (8.7 3PA per 36)?

ESPN

Anderson’s biggest problem has been 3-point shooting. How bad is it? 15.4% bad, an almost impossible drop-off from the career-high 41% he shot from deep last year. Nonetheless, he’s still providing plus minutes on both offense (110 offensive rating) and always a force on defense (109 defensive rating).

For most rosters around the league, he could simply stop shooting from deep and still serve a variety of different (and productive) roles. Kyle Anderson is a proven plug-and-play multi-tool role-player who can provide valuable minutes from pretty much every position on the floor, in today’s NBA. Who doesn’t need that?

Doug McDermott is available

The 7-33 San Antonio Spurs, have made small forward Doug McDermott available. Chris Haynes (Bleacher Report) said on his ‘This League’ podcast:

“I was told that the Spurs are listening to offers for some of their veterans that are on expiring deals,” Haynes said. “They don’t have too many veterans, but they have two veterans that are on expiring deals, Doug McDermott and Cedi Osman. These are two players that would be pretty good fixtures on a team that’s trying to win or contend right now.”

Chris Haynes – This League Podcast

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The trade makes complete sense, considering the Spurs are struggling to win games and McDermott (like Anderson) is on a expiring contract. Doug McDermott, a Grand Forks, ND native, recently celebrated his 32nd birthday, holds is averaging 6.4 points, 1.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game this season. He’s shooting a solid 46.1% from the field but it’s his proficiency from deep (46.8%) that might have the Wolves salivating.

Doug McDermott deep three🎯 pic.twitter.com/PLh6uMe9Tt

— Ball Brief (@BallBrief_) January 8, 2023

Chris Finch, Minnesota Timberwolves Love Kyle Anderson

The NBA trade deadline is still a couple weeks away and who knows what can happen. The Timberwolves hold the second best record in the league right now, at 29-11, behind only the 32-9 Boston Celtics. Does it make sense to move a guy like Kyle Anderson, who may not get a ton of minutes right now, but is just one injury or slump away from playing a very important role once again?

Many teammates seem to be very fond of Kyle. Chris Finch has made it very clear that he is a HUGE fan of Anderson, as well, which will obviously play into what Tim Connelly eventually does.

Not saying he's untouchable. But Finch LOVES him. Hard to see it. So valuable when going zone/overall on defense and his passing his rock-solid. His experience and where he sees the game helps too.

— Darren Wolfson (@DWolfsonKSTP) January 18, 2024

And some would argue, why make a trade when you are cruising at a pace like the Wolves have been. Who knows what can happen, as the trade deadline creeps closer. But I can’t help think about what Doug McDermott knocking down nearly 50% of his 3-pointers could provide for this Minnesota Timberwolves offense now.

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