It is no secret that the Minnesota Timberwolves have been looking for a long-term solution at point guard. With Mike Conley aging, and the emergence of Anthony Edwards as a superstar, the Timberwolves would benefit from an upgrade in their backcourt.
Minnesota has been thriving even with the uncertainty at point guard. They are in the top ten in both offensive and defensive rating, and are 27-18 so far on the year. The Wolves have lost four in a row, but are only a half-game out of the fourth seed in the West.
Minnesota has been scoping the trade market for a better floor-general in advance of the trade deadline February 5th. Chicago Bulls guard Coby White has come up the most in those conversations, but it remains to be seen if the Wolves will be willing to pull the trigger.
There is one polarizing name that has come up as a potential fit for Minnesota, but given what it would cost, it would be wise for them to not pull the trigger.
The Timberwolves should avoid acquiring Ja Morant
Morant is in the midst of the worst season of his career. He is averaging his lowest points per game since his second year in the league, his field-goal and three-point percentages are career-lows, and his game would not fit with Edwards.
Morant’s strengths do not align with what the Wolves need to prioritize around Edwards. Morant is at his best getting downhill and playmaking, whereas Edwards needs the space to operate. Having two non-shooters on the floor in Morant and Gobert for a majority of games would compromise Minnesota’s spacing, especially during crunch time.
Additionally, Morant’s massive salary is also an obstacle. He is making almost $40 million this season, and his salary increases to $42 million next season and $44 million the year after. In order to match his salary, it would require the Wolves have to part with two of Julius Randle, Donte DiVencenzo, and Naz Reid, which is not worth it for them.
Randle is having the best season of his career, DiVencenzo has been an amazing fit next to Edwards because of the floor-spacing he provides, and Reid has been a stabilizing presence for Minnesota’s bench for years.
Given the poor fit on the court and what it would cost to acquire Morant, the Wolves should stay away. They would benefit from acquiring a cheaper option like White or Tre Jones from the Bulls. Making a blockbuster move when they are one of the best teams in the West so far would be a big miscalculation on their end.