Timberwolves' Top 3 Trade Chips Left After Josh Green Trade

Following a busy offseason, the Wolves still have a few trade pieces left on their roster if they want to make a deal midseason

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Terrence Shannon Jr. (1) dribbles in the second half against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Minnesota Timberwolves have, in all likelihood, finished making all of their moves for the offseason. They traded for their point guard of the future, LaMelo Ball, parted ways with Julius Randle, and backfilled the power forward position with Jonathan Kuminga.

Aside from a potential minimum contract signing, this is the roster they will head into the regular season with. There almost certainly isn't another sizeable move coming, and the Wolves, like every other team, will largely sink or swim with who they currently have on the team.

The next likely opportunity for Minnesota to improve the roster, if they need to, will be at or near the trade deadline in February. While it may look as though the Timberwolves are out of assets to trade, and that is true for their draft capital, Minnesota does have a few players on the roster that may have value for another team.

At last season's trade deadline, the Wolves acquired Ayo Dosunmu for the minimal cost of Rob Dillingham, Leonard Miller, and some second-round picks. Dillingham and Miller had lost favor with the organization as on-court players, and in return, the Wolves got a player good enough to warrant a five-year, $112 million contract.

While the Wolves do have some players, including Rudy Gobert and Joan Beringer, who would hold incredibly high value, trading either would be far too risky a move to attempt to pull off during the season. Instead, if the Wolves want to add talent to their roster midseason, they will need to do it around the margins.

Even after all their wheeling and dealing this summer, the Timberwolves still have a few trade chips left that could be cashed in over the next few months.

3. Isaiah Evans

The Wolves drafted Isaiah Evans with the third pick of the second round in last June's NBA Draft. Evans, a sharpshooter out of Duke, struggled in Summer League after being unable to practice with the team due to being included in the trade for Ball.

Evans is not likely to see many non-garbage-time minutes this season. The Wolves see the upside in Evans. They will give him a long runway to improve his skills, specifically on defense, behind the scenes, with the hope that he will become a rotation player in two to three years.

If that belief changes, though, and the Wolves need to add a throw-in to push a trade over the finish line, Evans would have enough positive value to make it worth it for almost any team to take a flyer on him.

2. Cody Williams

Cody Williams was seen as the throw-in to the Josh Green trade. The Wolves sent Green away for Williams and John Konchar, whom they later waived, largely for financial reasons, and Williams came in the deal because he needed a change of scenery after struggling for two seasons with the Utah Jazz.

The Wolves provide Williams with the opportunity to turn his career around. Williams still has potential as the former tenth overall pick from the 2024 Draft and could benefit from playing in a winning situation compared to a Jazz team that was intentionally losing games.

If Williams can tap into what made him a highly regarded prospect coming out of the University of Colorado, he can turn himself into one of Minnesota's better and more expendable trade assets.

1. Terrence Shannon Jr.

The one player possibly most affected by the Wolves' additions this offseason is Terrence Shannon Jr., who may have seen time in the starting lineup before the addition of Kuminga as the permanent starting power forward.

The determining factor for the success of Shannon Jr.'s season is whether he can be an effective player without the ball in his hands. He has shown the ability to be an explosive on-ball player, but those possessions may be limited, with Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, and Jaden McDaniels all needing the ball to some extent.

Shannon Jr. has a ton of talent and has proven to be a valuable playoff contributor each of the last two postseasons. He has also shown, through the struggles last season, that he may not be a fit for this Timberwolves roster.

The Timberwolves internally believe Shannon Jr. is poised for a turnaround season this year. If that does not end up happening, he could be the best Wolves trade piece on offer at the trade deadline.

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