The Minnesota Timberwolves are rearranging their roster in an attempt to get over the hump and become the top team in the Western Conference.
Their trade for LaMelo Ball from the Charlotte Hornets sent Naz Reed to the Queen City while Julius Randle was sent to the Brooklyn Nets, opening up a vacancy in the frontcourt at the power forward position.
“Power forward, for now, is wide open. They hope LeBron James is their solution. He probably won’t be. But I’m not sure they needed a long-term answer now anyway.
Ball and Edwards are going into their age-25 seasons. Jaden McDaniels turns 26 in September. The bar at that position is relatively low given what they have elsewhere,“ CBS Sports contributor Sam Quinn wrote.
”If it takes a year, it takes a year. They have salaries to trade like Josh Green and potentially also Donte DiVincenzo. Perhaps Terrence Shannon can play more power forward, and McDaniels can as well in a pinch. They’re not as good as the Thunder or the Spurs. Nobody is. But they’ve raised their ceiling substantially enough to give themselves a puncher’s chance when they do eventually figure out that vacant power forward slot.“
The Wolves can figure this out on the trade market, potentially in the second half of the year, but what might be more reasonable is seeing what they have in-house. Minnesota should figure out how they can solve this problem internally, because that is the easier method compared to a trade. It also requires less risk. Given the fact that the Wolves were on a trading spree earlier in the offseason, they probably would have moved Green or DiVincenzo’s contract if there was a viable solution at the power forward spot.
The Wolves can wait until the February trade deadline, potentially, to assess where they’re at and look for upgrades there, but it might be worth it to scour the trade market once more to see if any power forwards are available for a reasonable price.
Canis Hoopus community, how do you think the Wolves should resolve their power forward problem? Let us know in the comments section below.
