Timberwolves Predicted to Trade Top Assister on Team

The Minnesota Timberwolves were in the Western Conference Finals last season and the year before. They’ve been knocking on the door of an NBA Finals appearance, and they may just be one trade away from breaking through. 

Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report recently predicted “The 1 Player On Every NBA Team Most Likely To Be Traded,” and he predicted Julius Randle would be the first Timberwolves player to be traded. 

“If the Minnesota Timberwolves are going to solve their point guard problem, they'll need to surrender their best frontcourt facilitator in Julius Randle.

The 31-year-old's $30.8 million salary will be key in bringing back a high-end starter, and one assumes the Wolves handed Naz Reid that $125 million extension over the summer with an eye toward promoting him if Randle heads out in a trade.

Though there's a case to be made for retaining Randle, who's averaging a team-best 5.9 assists per game, the glut of resources up front and the combined failure of Donte DiVincenzo and Mike Conley to keep the offense flowing suggest a roster-balancing deal for a difference-making point guard is Minnesota's best move."

This would be a risky move for the Timberwolves. Although many believe that Randle’s stats are better than his actual impact, you can’t deny his production. He’s been the second leading scorer for the Wolves and their top assist getter. 

He's also on a big contract, and his value around the league is unclear. If trading Randle only gives the Wolves a minor upgrade, they probably would be better off keeping him.