This postseason came with some good, bad, and ugly for the Minnesota Timberwolves. On the one hand, players such as guard Ayo Dosunmu and forward Jaden McDaniels showed they could step up for the team when it mattered most. In the first round, Dosunmu scored 43 points after guards Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo went down in Game 4 against the Denver Nuggets. McDaniels put up 32 points and 10 rebounds in Game 6 to close out the series.
However, 2026 also marked the first postseason in the past three years where the Minnesota Timberwolves failed to advance to the Western Conference Finals. Losing to the San Antonio Spurs in six games, it was obvious that Minnesota had some holes to patch.
Will the Timberwolves Pursue Giannis Antetokounmpo This Offseason?
While the Timberwolves’ season couldn’t be called unsuccessful, a team that did have an underwhelming year was the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks officially began seeking trade offers for star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo earlier this month. Milwaukee’s front office officials expect a robust trade market for the nine-time All-Star.
Ideally, the Bucks are able to trade Antetokounmpo by the end of this offseason due to the nature of his contract. This was confirmed by Bucks co-owner Wes Edens in a March interview with ESPN.
So who are the Timberwolves players who could be involved in a trade? And how will Antetokounmpo fit with the team?
Trading Key Pieces?
For the Timberwolves, there are certain players who are untouchable in a trade. While Edwards is an obvious choice, Minnesota would prefer to keep centers Naz Reid and Rudy Gobert, along with McDaniels. All three are integral to the Timberwolves’ team identity and their style of basketball.
The Timberwolves’ main issue right now is offensive inconsistency. In their series against the Spurs, Julius Randle and Gobert struggled on offense, missing easy shots and committing avoidable turnovers. Spurs star Victor Wembanyama‘s overwhelming defensive presence sped up Minnesota’s players, occasionally prompting them to forgo scoring opportunities in the paint. Additionally, Gobert was unable to replicate the stellar defense he played on Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic in the first round.
Additionally, outside of Edwards, the Timberwolves lack a consistently efficient secondary scoring option. McDaniels’ scoring average and efficiency are too low this postseason to consider him a true number two option. Despite Dosunmu’s stellar performances in the 2026 playoffs, he might function best in a “sixth man” role for now. And while Gobert’s role is primarily on defense, his shot diet is the easiest of all the players mentioned, and he has wildly fluctuating efficiency across games.
The biggest question mark here is Randle. While his regular-season stats look good, his production has declined in the playoffs. Notably, Randle’s scoring and playmaking averages went down in this postseason.
His efficiency has been lackluster as well. Across his 12 playoff games this year, Randle attempted 172 shots and converted on just 67 of those attempts. Additionally, Randle averaged just 5.6 shots made per game as a second option in these playoffs.
Ideally, the Timberwolves can retain Dosunmu, Reid and Gobert. However, Minnesota will likely be forced to trade one of the players listed above, including McDaniels, to get Antetokounmpo. This may be a move that the Timberwolves are compelled to make, as they look to put Edwards in the best possible situation to contend for a championship.
Fit and Injury Concerns
If Antetokounmpo is traded to Minnesota, Edwards gets some much-needed help on the offensive side of the floor. Edwards’ style of basketball is versatile and multi-faceted, evolving from his earlier seasons in the NBA. In 61 games, Edwards averaged the second-most threes attempted per game in his career, as well as the second-most threes made this season.
The Greek superstar’s rim-running style contrasts well with this. Antetokounmpo would further strengthen an already formidable Minnesota frontcourt anchored by Gobert, who is a four-time Defensive Player of the Year.
Additionally, having Antetokounmpo on the Timberwolves will help the team contend with other versatile and mobile big men in the Western Conference. This includes the Oklahoma City Thunder‘s Chet Holmgren and the Spurs’ Wembanyama.
However, there are some uncomfortable questions about Antetokounmpo’s health that the Timberwolves will have to ponder before any moves are made. The former MVP has played in eight total playoff games across the past three seasons, missing playoff action entirely in 2024.
Can Antetokounmpo keep up with the demands of an 82-game season and remain healthy enough for the playoffs? Will he be an impactful player for the Timberwolves? Is the trade even necessary? Minnesota has a lot to consider as the team heads into the offseason.
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