The trade deadline day is here and the NBA is buzzing. Rumors are updating by the hour as agents and basketball operators toss bait here and there hoping to address team needs or catch the next blockbuster deal.
It is unlikely any deal can match the acquisition of DeMarcus Cousins. With Cousins and Anthony Davis, the New Orleans Pelicans have the best big man duo in the NBA and one of the best in the history of the league. New Orleans is making a statement to push for the Western Conferences 8th playoff spot and possibly beyond. What can the Minnesota Timberwolves do or not do before 3:00 PM to help their playoff chances or secure the long-term future of the team?
The latest and hottest trade rumor in Minnesota continues to be Ricky Rubio and the New York Knicks point man Derrick Rose. Rose and Coach Thibodeau have a history going back to Thib’s days coaching the Bulls, but Rose’s MVP days are far behind him. Although he is averaging over 17 points a game this season, his poor outside shooting (30% career 3-point shooting and only 24% for this season) won’t loosen up the lane and make it easier for the Wolves big men to score underneath. However, his slashing ability could draw defenders and free up Karl-Anthony Towns or Gorgui Dieng cutting to the basket for high percentage shots and easy scores.
| 2017 Stats | Rose | Rubio |
| Points/game | 17.7 | 8.9 |
| Assists/game | 4.5 | 8.4 |
| Rebounds/game | 3.9 | 3.8 |
| Steals/game | 0.7 | 1.8 |
| FG% | 46.2 | 38.6 |
| 3 point % | 24.1 | 28.1 |
| Turnovers/game | 2.5 | 2.4 |
| Defensive Rating*** | 111.7 | 110.3 |
***refers to opponent’s points allowed per 100 possessions
The Wolves could look to the 28-year-old as a “bridge man” to continue the mentorship of the other young guards in Minnesota and a means to free the franchise from Rubio’s contract, which runs through 2018-19 and averages around $14 million per season. With Roses contract coming off the books at the end of the 2016-17 season, POBO Thibodeau will go into the summer with approximately $43 million in cap space. In that scenario, the Wolves front office would be banking that youngsters Kris Dunn and Tyus Jones (or one of the talented crop of PGs in the draft) are ready to fully take the reins next season.
Just in:
Adrian Wojnarowski @WojVerticalNBA
Minnesota’s Ricky Rubio remains a significant target for the Knicks today, league sources tell @TheVertical.
ESPN’s Zach Lowe reports the Timberwolves are also interested in Milwaukee Bucks wingman Tony Snell. The 6’7”, 25-year-old was drafted by the Chicago Bulls when Thibodeau coached there. Snell will be a restricted free agent at the end of this season. He is respectable on defense and has shot better than 40% on 3 pointers this season. If that trade goes down, I would like to see the Bucks include Malcolm Brogdon and one of their 5 centers to satisfy the salary swaps. The point guard from Virginia is an effective scorer from all over the floor and has shown remarkable poise and confidence for a rookie. The Wolves could then have Kris Dunn, Tyus Jones, and Brogdon contend for the start at point.
Shooting guard Iman Shumpert is another name that has come up in trade talks. The Wolves just do not have anyone outside of Towns, Wiggins, or LaVine who the Cavs would find appealing. Maybe the Cavs would be interested in Shabazz Muhammad, but Shumpert is a much better defensive player and is having his best shooting season as a pro, .425% from the field and .403 from beyond the arc, basically negating Bazz’s value.
My top trade target for the Timberwolves is Nerlens Noel. He is a poor outside shooter but is developing into a pick and roll specialist and the 76ers team defensive efficiency is vastly improved when Noel is in the lineup. With Nikola Pekovic unlikely to return to the NBA, the Wolves need another big body in the middle. The Kentucky product was the 6th overall pick in 2013 and has put up solid numbers in limited starts this season. His reserve status is due to 2017 Rookie of the Year favorite Joel Embiid and 2015 3rd overall pick Jahlil Okafor listed ahead of him on the depth charts. It is rumored Philly is looking to deal Okafor. If they decide to keep Noel, I would only be in favor of getting the slow-footed, bad-at-defense Okafor if the Wolves can also acquire point guard T.J. McConnell in a package deal. If the 76ers are not willing to trade Noel, perhaps Coach Thibs should turn his attention to Detroit’s Andre Drummond.
The excitement continues to build as NBA fans are glued to Twitter. Will Timberwolves fans see new numbers on their favorite team’s uniforms? Stay tuned…
Stats courtesy of basketballreference.com
Photo courtesy of asmsports.com
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