Timberwolves Get Two Hall of Fame Guards in this Wild Trade Idea

The Western Conference is a blood bath once again. It houses all of the best teams in the league, the best players, and the defending champion. Making a deep playoff run, much less making the playoffs at all, is a tall task for any team in the West. 

That’s why teams like the Minnesota Timberwolves may be looking towards the trade market in an effort to strengthen their roster. Right now, the Timberwolves are 15–9 and sit as the 6th seed in the West. Last season, they were in the Western Conference Finals. This season, they could be in the Play-In Tournament. 

Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report made a mock Timberwolves trade that would bring Minnesota two elite ball handlers and greatly improve their odds at a deep playoff run. 

The trade looks like this:

“Timberwolves get:

James Harden (from Clippers)

Chris Paul (from Clippers)

Jalen Wilson (from Nets)

Clippers get:

Naz Reid (from Timberwolves)

Mike Conley (from Timberwolves)

Rob Dillingham (from Timberwolves)

Joe Ingles (from Timberwolves)

Tyrese Martin (from Nets)

$6.9 million trade exception (James Harden)

$8.8 million trade exception (Brook Lopez)

$2.7 million trade exception (Kobe Brown)

$2.3 million trade exception (Chris Paul)

Nets get:

Brook Lopez (from Clippers)

Kobe Brown (from Clippers)

2027 Cleveland Cavaliers second-rounder (via Timberwolves)

$6 million (from Clippers)

$1.96 million (from Timberwolves)”

This trade comes down to one important question. How important is Naz Reid to the Timberwolves? This mock trade would give the Timberwolves an All-NBA level point guard to pair with Anthony Edwards in James Harden. They would only really need to give up Reid to make it happen. 

Is it worth it? The Timberwolves certainly lean heavily on Reid to space the floor and provide size and rebounding. They also don’t have enough solid ball handlers and playmakers outside of Edwards. 

It would be a huge risk. But it could be one that pays off.