“I’ll be talking to a lot of really good players, much better than myself, I will tell you that, and get them here to join what we have.”
That is what Jimmy Butler said when he was introduced at the Mall of America on June 30. At that time, it was impossible to believe Butler could help Minnesota land a player better than himself, considering he’s widely viewed as a top-15 player in the NBA.
Friday may have provided an answer to the question of who could the Timberwolves possibly acquire that is better than Butler.
When the rumor surfaced Friday that Cavaliers superstar guard Kyrie Irving wanted out of Cleveland and would be interested in going to Minnesota, followers of the Timberwolves went crazy.
Rightfully so.
While it is debatable if Irving is better than Butler, he is the first player mentioned in the same breath as the Wolves who is even close to Butler’s rank amongst best players in the league. He’s coming off a season where he averaged 25.2 points per game and shot over 40 percent from behind the 3-point line. Just the fact that he’s interested in coming to Minnesota is truly remarkable.
The last time the Wolves were in the playoffs, Irving was 12 years old. Prior to this season, they hadn’t landed a remotely high-profile player through free agency — ever. They’ve been consistent residents in the cellar of the western conference and have more often been a punchline than a successful basketball team.
The fact that Irving, an NBA champion and Olympian, put Minnesota on his list of four preferred destinations shows just how far this franchise has come in just the last month.
The biggest problem for the Wolves? Irving isn’t in control of his future.
Just because Irving has made it clear he wants out of Cleveland, does not mean the Cavaliers have to grant his wish. Even if they do trade him, they certainly are not obligated to move him to one of his preferred destinations.
Unless things get really ugly, the Cavs still hold the high cards in any trade negotiations. Even if Irving takes it to the extreme and says he will only play for certain teams, he is still under contract for at least two more seasons.
With Jeff Teague being untradeable until Dec. 15, it is almost impossible for Minnesota to acquire Irving without parting with Andrew Wiggins. However, if they ultimately did choose to make Wiggins available, they could likely be the favorite to land the four-time all-star.
Would Minnesota even be willing to include Wiggins? Should they?
Considering the Wolves front office reportedly almost immediately removed Wiggins from the Jimmy Butler trade negotiations, it is very much in question if he would be available for a player of debatably lesser caliber.
Of course, circumstances are much different than what they were a month ago. Acquiring Butler at the expense of losing Wiggins would have made the Wolves a better team, but it would not have vaulted them to the upper echelon of the conference and it would have shrunk the window for long-term success. Adding Irving to the duo of Butler and Karl-Anthony Towns would give the Wolves arguably the second-best “big-3” in the NBA, behind the Golden State Warriors. Having that level of top-end talent, along with Jeff Teague, Taj Gibson, Jamal Crawford and possibly even Gorgui Dieng could also help convince veteran free agents to take the league minimum to help fill out the roster.
It is also important to remember that while Tom Thibodeau seems to adore Wiggins, he dealt Kris Dunn and Zach LaVine away less than a month ago. He spoke very highly of both players and Dunn was his first draft pick. Thibodeau has already shown he will do whatever it takes to make the roster more talented.
Perhaps the biggest unknown and most decisive factor in making this decision is if the Wolves front office feels comfortable giving Wiggins a max contract worth $148 million. Barring a trade of this caliber, Minnesota has no choice but to give Wiggins this contract. His game has blemishes, but he’s done enough to warrant that kind of deal in the modern-day NBA. He’s just 22 years old and is coming off a season in which he averaged 23.6 points per game. His defense, passing and rebounding leaves a bit to be desired, but the hope is Butler and Thibodeau can bring the most out of him during his next six seasons. With all of that being said, if Minnesota ever wanted an out, this would be it.
The other unknown is how well Wiggins fits in alongside Towns and Butler. Wiggins is much quieter and reserved than Towns is, so it is sometimes difficult to get a read on their relationship. As for Butler, while he may be looking forward to playing with and mentoring Wiggins, wouldn’t he prefer playing with his friend and singing partner from team USA? Towns and Butler have reportedly already made efforts to “recruit” Irving to Minnesota.
While it is unnecessary to recruit a player who is under contract for two years, they have also apparently made their wishes known to Wolves management. Without knowing the context of their interest in adding Irving, it is impossible to jump to conclusions, but one would have to assume Butler and Towns would almost assuredly know Wiggins would be the casualty if the team were to pull off a deal to land Irving. Their desire to play with Irving may create an uncomfortable setting for Wiggins, and even Teague, if no deal is made.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfC-76Kers4
On the court, Wiggins should fit well with the current Wolves. He’s played two seasons with Towns and other than Kawhi Leonard, Butler may be the best player for him to model his game after. His demeanor also suggests he might be comfortable becoming the third fiddle and hopefully growing into a more efficient scorer. Irving, on the other hand, allegedly wants a bigger role than his 30 percent usage in Cleveland. It is much more unlikely he slides into the role of being a third wheel.
It is important to note, that ESPN’s Brian Windhorst suggested that Irving’s issue with the Cavs may be more related to pace and style of play than it is how many shots he’s getting. The notion that he wants to have the ball in his hands more than he already does may be an unfair assumption.
If Thibodeau and general manager Scott Layden can somehow land Irving without losing Wiggins, erect their statues immediately. Barring a multi-team deal that allows Cleveland to acquire veterans and takes advantage of a vulnerable team or two, Dieng, Tyus Jones, Nemanja Bjelica and draft picks will not be enough.
If they do choose to part with Wiggins, it either means they believe Irving, Butler and Towns can be a trio that can compete for a championship and they had to do it or that the inmates are running the asylum.
Until then, just take this entire situation at face value. Which is the Minnesota Timberwolves are all of a sudden a premier destination for star players. That is really something.
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