Minnesota Timberwolves: Roster Shakeup On The Horizon?

As the countdown to the 2015 NBA Draft dwindles down to less than a month, the association’s never-ending coaching carousel and trade rumor mill has officially ground into sixth gear.

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For the Minnesota Timberwolves — the team that holds the No.1 overall pick — speculation surrounding their desire the move into a different direction and reform their roster makeup is accordingly in full force.

Sure enough, the lingering question remains who the Wolves will draft with their top pick; on the other hand, however, for the second time in less than a month, the quiet murmurs regarding a Ricky Rubio departure from the Twin Cities has gradually evolved into a raucous uproar.

To be more specific, Chad Ford of ESPN has hinted on two separate occasions that a deal involving Rubio is more feasible than one would think.

At first, Ford reported that Pretty Ricky’s “camp” has been pushing for a trade out of Minnesota for a while now.

Thereafter, Ford continued his surmising rampage this past Tuesday by stating the Timberwolves’ increasing intent to draft Ohio State guard, D’Angelo Russell, with the No. 1 overall pick and deal away their flamboyant Spanish point guard in an effort to make room for the freshman standout in their backcourt.

However, those with deep rooted connections within the Timberwolves organization, like Darren Wolfson of KSTP, has been steadfast in their assertion that Rubio is not going anywhere — at least for the time being.

Will the Wolves trade down and draft Russell — who, for all intents and purposes, is more suited to defend the shooting guard position in the pros — then, turn around and trade their incumbent– and only–point guard on the roster? Highly unlikely.

But Flip Saunders, the Wolves’ head coach, part owner, and president of basketball operations, has a vast history of primitive thinking. Multiple reports have steadily indicated Saunders’ lovefest with Jahlil Okafor, even though Karl-Anthony Towns is clearly the prospect with the higher ceiling and whose skill set fits best with their current roster makeup.

Saunders has also stubbornly stuck Zach LaVine at the point for the majority of last season, blindly disregarding the 19-year-old thoroughbred’s struggles to handle basic lead guard duties.

Needless to say, in the famous words of the franchise’s most decorated player, Kevin Garnett, anything is possible with Flip.

Moving onto the Wolves frontcourt situation, the Minnesota brass continues to be torn between Karl-Anthony Towns and Jahlil Okafor. Ford has reported that, while Saunders favors Okafor, the rest of the Wolves’ upper management members support Towns — both as a prospect and as a potential fit with their young pups.

Meanwhile, reigning Euroleague MVP Nemanja Bjelica is apparently starting his negotiations with the Wolves at quite the hefty price, as Wolfson tweeted Tuesday.

If the Wolves were to draft Okafor, Bjelica’s ability to stretch the floor with his guard-like playmaking abilities at the four could play a vital role in the Wolves’ plight to curate adequate spacing.

But with his rather ambitious asking price, as Wolfson suggested, Minnesota could be better off testing the trade market.

Keeping the success of Nikola Mirotic — a similar stretch-inducing, decorated, former Euroleague forward — enjoyed this past season with the Chicago Bulls in mind, teams may be willing to relinquish a mid-first rounder for the services of Bjelica, in addition to the Wolves’  duo of second round picks at No. 31 and No. 36, respectively.

Undoubtedly, the upcoming weeks will engender a ton of excitement and conjecture for Wolves fans.

As the NBA Finals commences, the hordes of trade and draft rumors encircling the Minnesota Timberwolves should continue to materialize in overwhelming bunches.

Next: 5 Late Round Prospects The Wolves Should Target

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