Latest Timberwolves Rumors on Giannis, Jaden McDaniels, Josh Giddey

With the NBA draft just days away, rumors are flying around the league. Tim Connelly and the Timberwolves, who are expected to shake up their roster in some fashion after a second-round exit, are among the teams involved in quite a bit of insider buzz. Let's take a look at the latest.

Is Minnesota still in on Giannis?

The single biggest domino that seemingly has to fall in order for the offseason to really get rolling is the Giannis Antetokounmpo situation. Everyone believes the Bucks want a resolution before the draft begins on Tuesday night. But Milwaukee GM Jon Horst's job is to hold out for what he believes is a fair price tag for one of the best players in the world.

The Heat and Celtics are the teams that are coming up most as Giannis destinations. Are the Timberwolves still in the mix? Maybe...but it seems like a long shot.

The Wolves circled back with the Bucks recently to check on the Giannis price tag, reported Jake Fischer of The Stein Line substack on Friday. However, "Milwaukee is said to have asked for even more now than the teams discussed in the winter when Minnesota was at the forefront of the Giannis Trade Chase," Fischer wrote.

One consideration for any team that might give up a massive haul for Antetokounmpo is his willingness to sign a long-term extension with them. He has one year at $58.5 million left on his contract, plus a $62.8 million player option in 2027-28. It's not clear if Giannis would sign with Minnesota on a long-term deal, according to The Athletic's Sam Amick.

"There's not been any indication that Giannis doesn't want to be there long term," Amick said on The Athletic NBA Daily, "but I don't get the sense that he's giving them the sign that he does want to be there."

That matters for the Wolves, because if they're going to part with Jaden McDaniels and numerous other assets in a Giannis deal, they'd need to feel pretty confident that the Greek superstar would be in Minnesota for a long time.

Still, even if a Giannis deal seems unlikely for the Timberwolves, it can't be ruled out. Not with Connelly at the helm. On Sunday morning, ESPN's Ramona Shelburne characterized it as a three-team race between the Celtics, Wolves, and Heat. They're not out of it just yet.

Giannis and Jaden McDaniels in 2024 | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

McDaniels nearly untouchable

Speaking of McDaniels, the Wolves continue to make it clear to teams that he is virtually untouchable in trade talks. According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, McDaniels is "essentially untradable unless it was for a blockbuster trade involving Giannis Antetokounmpo or Nikola Jokic."

The Giannis part makes sense. The mention of Jokic caught some eyes on social media, but one would assume there's no actual meaning there. Surely the Nuggets would never in a million years consider parting with their three-time MVP.

Per Scotto, the Clippers poked around on McDaniels during their rough start to last season and may have put Kawhi Leonard or James Harden on the market, but they were turned away by Minnesota.

Wolves interested in Giddey?

One new name to keep an eye on is Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey. KSTP's Darren Wolfson reported on Friday that the Wolves have interest in Giddey. Scotto said he's confirmed as much.

It's unclear if the Bulls are willing to part with Giddey or what a deal involving him might look like from Minnesota's end. But at least on paper, the fit makes some sense. Giddey averaged 17 points, 8.3 assists, and 9.1 rebounds per game last season. He's also shot 37 percent from three over two seasons with Chicago. He'd add some real playmaking and rebounding next to Anthony Edwards.

It sounds like the Wolves' first priority this offseason is re-signing the guard they already acquired from the Bulls, Ayo Dosunmu.

Whether it's Antetokounmpo, Giddey, Derrick White, Ja Morant, or a handful of other names, the Wolves have been connected to a wide range of players in recent rumors. But with McDaniels off the table unless Giannis is involved, Connelly will have to get creative to construct a deal that has Julius Randle or Rudy Gobert as the main piece heading out.

Stay tuned, because with the draft approaching quickly, it sure feels like something big could go down at any moment.

Add us as a preferred source on Google