Bulls Loss Pushes Wolves to Season-High Skid as Trade Pressure Mounts

Minnesota lost its fourth game in a row on Thursday night against the Bulls.

Jan 22, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch looks on against the Chicago Bulls in the second half at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

The Timberwolves lost 120-115 to the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night, marking their fourth loss in a row. It's their longest losing streak of the season and longest since late November in 2024. Is it time to panic?

The Wolves have been a bit banged up in January, but they're now healthy, and their starters are performing at the same level they have been all season. It's the bench that has fallen off a cliff.

Once among the deepest benches in the NBA, Sixth Man of the Year favorite Naz Reid is the only consistent reserve for Minnesota this season. Bench players other than Reid have combined for 35 total points amid the current four-game skid. It was even more prevalent on Thursday night against the Bulls, as they were out-scored 49-28 in bench points.

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Mike Conley Jr. is fading fast with only 3.0 points per game in their current losing streak. His scoring dropped from 11.4 points per game to 8.4 last season, but it has dropped again to 4.7 this season. Chris Finch doesn't seem to trust Rob Dillingham, and Conley's minutes seem to be cutting into Bones Hyland's production.

Terrence Shannon Jr.'s injury and lack of production in year two also hurt Minnesota's depth, but it feels like they need to make a trade. Oddly enough, they've been in the middle of trade rumors for one of Chicago's guard Coby White, Tre Jones or Ayo Dosunmu. All three players performed well on Thursday night, and any of them could be the missing link for Minnesota's rotation.

This year's trade deadline is only a few weeks away on February 5, and Minnesota just fell into the play-in outlook as the seventh seed in the Western Conference as of Friday morning. If there was ever a time to make a deal, it might be now.

The Wolves have plenty of time to fix their problems before the postseason, but it's obvious their bench needs to improve. They have a top six that can contend with anyone in the league, but that's about it.

Shannon's return could add some depth, and maybe Finch decides to give some of Conely's minutes to Hyland, but it feels like they're still missing one piece. With every loss, it feels like the pressure is mounting for Tim Connelly and the Wolves' front office to make a deal.