Could the Minnesota Timberwolves Finally Trade Andrew Wiggins?

12 Wiggins trades that might actually work, even if they’ll depress everyone involved…

SHOULD THE MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES TRADE ANDREW WIGGINS? That’s a question that has hung over the Minnesota franchise for years now, ever since Wiggins exploded for 23.6 points a game as a 21-year-old but couldn’t ever find his footing next to Karl-Anthony Towns or Jimmy Butler.

Wiggins is on a max deal, owed $122 million over 4 years still (counting this one). He’s worth nowhere near that much, of course, and his contract has sabotaged Minnesota’s efforts to build around Towns since the moment it was signed.

But Wiggins has been better this year! Truly, he has. Wiggins is averaging career-highs in assists, rebounds, and threes per game. His free throw rate and percentage are back up, and he’s over 50% on twos for the first time in his career. Wiggins’s PER and rebounding rate are career bests, and his 18.6% assist rate is nearly double his career average.

Dig into the advanced metrics and they’re better too. His DBPM is the best of his career (though still an ugly -1.2), and Wiggins has a positive VORP for the first time in his career. Gersson Rosas brought a more modern game to Minnesota, and it has done Wiggins well. Only about 8% of his shots this season are long twos, barely a third of the 25% he was jacking up his first few seasons in the league.

Wiggins has improved this year, a lot actually. It’s just that he was bad enough before that he’s still not very good now, even with a ton of improvement.

Of course, Wiggins is also only 24 years old. That means there’s still time to improve as he enters his prime, especially now that he’s actually improving.

Consider this — according to Basketball Reference, only 14 players in NBA history have scored 8500 points before their 25th birthday. This is the list: Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Shaquille O’Neal, Tracy McGrady, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Davis, Dwight Howard, Chris Bosh, Bob McAdoo, Adrian Dantley, Carmelo Anthony… and Andrew Wiggins.

Add all the caveats you want. That’s a list of 13 stone-cold lock Hall of Famers next to Wiggins’s name. It’s a heck of a list to be on.

And all of those reasons are why it might finally be time to trade Wiggins. Minnesota has gone nowhere fast for basically the entire existence of the franchise, but it’s become increasingly clear that Minnesota has one star to build around, not two. The Wolves have rehabbed Wiggins enough to trade him for neutral or slightly positive value instead of paying to get off his salary, and it might be time to accept that they’re not going to do much better than that. Rosas is star hunting. He’s not going to get one for Wiggins, but he might need to clear his salary before adding another big one.

Still, a deal has to make sense for Minnesota. They can’t just dump Wiggins for nothing; the optics are too bad. It needs to sell hope to the fans — maybe by way of an interesting young player or a key draft pick. And it has to make sense for the direction of the franchise.

Of course, it has to make sense for the other team too, and that makes it even harder. But hey, we might as well try. Here are 12 potential teams that could trade for Wiggins and why the deal might work…

TIER V — LOL NO, BUT CAN YOU IMAGINE

12. Cleveland Cavaliers — Wiggins for Kevin Love

This deal is hilarious mostly because it already happened six years ago but also because it kinda sorta makes a lot of sense for both teams.

The contracts are almost identical. Wiggins is at 4/$122m; Love is 4/$120m. They’re each among the worst in the league. Love comes home next to Towns, and the duo would be lethal offensively. Wiggins gives Cleveland a younger face to build around and a 17th score-first-score-only guy in the mold of Collin Sexton, Darius Garland, Kevin Porter Jr., and every other player the Cavs have drafted recently.

Of course, the optics would be brutal for both sides, and Love didn’t exactly leave Minnesota on the best terms. It’ll never happen.

TIER IV — TOO RICH FOR THEIR BLOOD FOR NOW

11. Indiana Pacers — Wiggins for Myles Turner and T.J. Warren

The Pacers actually make a ton of sense for Wiggins. They’ve done an awesome job developing and rehabbing talented players that haven’t put things together elsewhere, and Wiggins fits pretty well next to Malcolm Brogdon, Victor Oladipo, and Domantas Sabonis. Brogdon and Oladipo make up for his defensive deficiencies, and both are useful enough off ball to give Wiggins a clear role.

Indiana can’t get free agents to come so someone like Wiggins may be their best shot at adding a star — see also Oladipo and Brogdon. If you imagine what Wiggins is supposed to be and put him next to Brogdon, Oladipo, and Sabonis, there’s a really interesting core there. Plus Wiggins gives the Pacers a little insurance and a plan in case Oladipo leaves as a free agent in a year.

Unfortunately, this deal doesn’t make sense, for either side really. The Pacers just don’t have the right pieces. They don’t have the bad salary to match Wiggins in a deal, so they’d probably have to move on from Myles Turner. I don’t mind that as I don’t think he’s a great fit with Sabonis and Goga Bitadze long term anyway, but this is selling low on him. The Pacers also give away T.J. Warren, who is basically a properly-paid Wiggins.

It makes a little more sense for the Wolves, but only if Towns is willing to swallow hard and move to the four on a permanent basis. Myles Turner is the sort of stretch rim protector Minnesota needs next to KAT — but would he buy it?

Indiana won’t offer, so it doesn’t matter.

10. Orlando Magic — Wiggins for Aaron Gordon and Terrence Ross

Aaron Gordon never seems like the right fit in Orlando. I like him a lot better in Minnesota where he can take a smaller offensive role and focus on a Draymond-like defensive identity next to Towns, and Ross is a bit overpaid but can score off the bench and replace 80% of Wiggins’s production.

For Orlando, the deal is harder to sell because Gordon is the face of the franchise and they’d be giving away the best player in the deal and one on a pretty solid contract. The upside for the Magic is it gives them a core that makes a lot more sense: Markelle Fultz, Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Isaac, and Mo Bamba.

Wiggins is the wing scorer they’ll never turn Gordon into, while Orlando clears up their big man log jam and has the defenders to cover Wiggins inside. That core is all potential, even if it’s also only potential for the most part right now. It’s a plan, at least.

TIER III — NOT ENOUGH FOR MINNESOTA

9. Portland Trail Blazers — Wiggins for Hassan Whiteside and Anfernee Simons

Both teams’ fans would hate this trade.

Portland was only ever keeping Hassan Whiteside for one season as a short-term replacement for Jusuf Nurkic, and Nurkic is practicing now so he could be back soon enough. With the Blazers way over the cap for an eternity to come, trading an expiring deal like Whiteside is one of their only ways to add a serious piece like Wiggins.

Of course… is Wiggins a serious piece? And does he fit next to Dame and CJ? I have my doubts on both accounts.

Whiteside doesn’t fit in Minnesota, either on or off the court, and Simons is mostly an unknown unless you follow the Blazers but he’s the sort of scoring guard that can create his own shot that this team lacks. For Minnesota, they get a half-season look at a possible point guard of the future before deciding if they need to draft one instead.

As for Portland? They love Simons and probably wouldn’t offer him in this deal. They might give up Nassir Little instead, but that’s just not enough to sell this to Minnesota. Even Simons might not be.

8. Detroit Pistons — Reggie Jackson, Tony Snell, and Luke Kennard

This is another deal that doesn’t work well on either side.

Detroit is a team that could actually make some sense for Wiggins. They desperately need talent that can handle and score, and they’re already stuck on this version of the team with the onerous Blake Griffin contract. Why not take a chance on Wiggins too?

The problem is there’s not a deal that makes sense. Reggie Jackson’s expiring deal would almost have to be involved for salary matching, but he’s too important for Detroit to give up even though he’s not that good. The same is somewhat true for Snell, and Kennard is one of Detroit’s only young pieces.

And yet at the same time, what is Minnesota getting excited about here? Snell would help the team a little. Kennard is something. But Minnesota probably asks for at least a pick here, and even then, there’s just not much there. The truth is Detroit just doesn’t have much to offer in a trade.

7. Washington Wizards — Ian Mahinmi, C.J. Miles, and Troy Brown

Here’s another version of the Detroit idea.

Washington is stuck with their Wall-Beal combo and has no small forward to speak of, so this is a way to add some talent using expiring contracts in Mahinmi and Miles. For Washington, they’d almost have to say yes to getting Wiggins for such a low cost.

But Minnesota basically gets just Troy Brown, a young, talented, mostly unknown wing. Or maybe they get Rui Hachimura, who they could’ve drafted and didn’t, and who Washington might not offer.

Again, not enough here, even though it’s a destination that makes sense.

6. Memphis Grizzlies — Wiggins for Solomon Hill, Kyle Anderson, and Brandon Clarke?!!?

Shut up, just let me believe, this is MY COLUMN.

Okay, fine.

6. Memphis Grizzlies — Wiggins for Solomon Hill, Kyle Anderson, and De’Anthony Melton

The Grizzlies have a pretty fascinating young core and Wiggins theoretically slots right into a lineup next to Ja Morant, Dillon Brooks, Brandon Clarke, and Jaren Jackson. That team needs another scorer and handler and has the defense to cover Wiggins. Memphis is another franchise that isn’t going to attract big time free agents, and they have all sorts of cap room so the Wiggins contract isn’t that painful until its last year or two.

The problem is finding enough for Minnesota in the deal without breaking up that core of Morant, Clarke, and JJJ. Longtime readers know I adore Brandon Clarke, and he would be absolutely perfect next to Towns, but I don’t see Memphis giving him away. I also love De’Anthony Melton but far less, and he’s not really a guy you can sell in a trade like this. Memphis also can’t really trade picks in the near future because of the pick they owe Boston.

If Wiggins really has some positive value now, Memphis doesn’t fit. They’re more of a salary dump location.

TIER II — GROSS, BUT YOU CAN SELL IT

5. San Antonio Spurs — Wiggins for DeMar DeRozan and Keldon Johnson

Can Andrew Wiggins be traded for himself? Only one way to find out, I suppose.

The Spurs never really do much in season, but there have been enough DeRozan and Aldridge rumors this year that you never know. DeRozan is basically the idealized version of Wiggins, for better or for worse. So the Spurs get a younger version they can grow next to Dejounte Murray and Derrick White, while the Wolves get a version more ready to partner with KAT and push for the playoffs now.

Really, this ends up being mostly a salary dump once DeRozan inevitably leaves Minnesota this summer or next, and you figure Rosas would swing a little higher for Wiggins. Just getting Keldon Johnson (or maybe Lonnie Walker) long-term isn’t enough.

DeRozan is a former All-Star, so he’s sellable in a deal like this for the same reason he came to San Antonio in the first place. Of course, the Spurs would have effectively turned Kawhi Leonard into Andrew Wiggins over the course of two years, so.

4. Charlotte Hornets — Wiggins for Nic Batum and Miles Bridges

Nic Batum is basically dead man walking at this point. He’s scoring 3.5 points on 37% shooting in 22 minutes a game. Even so, he feels like a much better theoretical fit in Minnesota, and he’s only under contract one more season.

Batum is a negative contract himself, one Charlotte would be eager to be rid of, so maybe they’d give up Miles Bridges for the privilege. Bridges would fit next to Towns, and while Charlotte probably wouldn’t want to give up on him just yet, they’d be able to sell fans on Wiggins and Devonte’ Graham for awhile.

The Hornets might push to give up Malik Monk instead of Bridges, but Monk hasn’t developed at all and Minnesota already has a bargain version of Monk on the roster in Jaylen Nowell, so Charlotte probably has to give up a pick or two in that deal.

TIER I — SADLY, THE BEST I COULD FIND

3. Sacramento Kings — Wiggins for Harrison Barnes

I… actually kind of like this trade for both teams, no matter how depressing it is.

Barnes is out of place in Sacramento. The Kings have no real small forward on the roster, so they’ve pigeon-holed Barnes into the role when he’s really a versatile four that plays decent defense. That’s the sort of player that fits pretty well next to Towns, and Barnes knows better how to stay out of the way around more talented offensive players.

Wiggins moves into a core with De’Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield, and Marvin Bagley. His acquisition would signal the end of Bogdan Bogdanovic’s time in Sacramento since they don’t have enough cash to pay him long-term too, but they could move Bogdanovic for another piece too. Wiggins fits Sacramento’s core better than Barnes. He’s on a better time frame and, more importantly, he can run next to Fox and Bagley. This team has to play fast, and they stopped playing fast almost precisely when they traded for Barnes last year.

Both guys just fit a little better on new teams, even if they’re both still overpriced and overrated. This is one of those one-man’s-trash-is-still-another-man’s-trash-but-hey-at-least-it’s-not-MY-trash-anymore trades.

2. Atlanta Hawks — Wiggins for Chandler Parsons, Cam Reddish, and a 2020 Brooklyn first

Parsons is nothing but an expiring contract in this deal, so if he doesn’t work given recent news, then Atlanta can give Evan Turner and a smaller contract instead.

The Hawks have oodles of cap room for now, and they still need another scorer and a wing. Reddish is not ready for that role, while Wiggins theoretically fits into a high-scoring oops-no-defense lineup of Trae Young, Kevin Huerter, Wiggins, DeAndre Hunter, and John Collins.

Just to be clear, this trade is a disaster for the Hawks, who simply can’t take on another offense-only player that doesn’t defend no matter how much cap room they have. But they haven’t exactly been afraid of building their team in that direction.

It’s not a ton better for Minnesota unless they strike gold with Reddish or the pick. Reddish is, in many ways, a younger version of Wiggins, a flawed wing that is neither 3 nor D, but it’s a chance to start over and develop a wing that theoretically fits and was a potential #1 pick only about 15 months ago. The Brooklyn pick helps sell the deal too as a solid first-round pick that looks good in the media without costing Atlanta too much.

1. New York Knicks — Wiggins for Taj Gibson, Wayne Ellington, Kevin Knox, and either Dennis Smith Jr. or Frank Ntilikina

Yes, sadly, this might be our winner.

For New York, it’s a pretty easy picture. They’re clearly out on DSJ and Ntilikina, and Knox hasn’t been what they’d hoped so far. The Knicks keep all their draft picks along with R.J. Barrett and Mitchell Robinson, so they add a young marquee scoring talent without even touching their presumed core. The thought of Wiggins next to Barrett every night would bring me endless joy, but beyond that, this is New York finally getting a name to put up in the lights each night and with plenty of cap room to do it.

For Minnesota, Taj and Ellington come home, which will make most fans smile. Both fit well enough, but they’re essentially expiring contracts with a small fee next season. They’re really just salary match, but they make the trade a little easier to sell.

The real “prizes” for Minnesota are Knox and a look at DSJ or Ntilikina as a potential point guard of the future before spending a high draft pick on one this summer. These guys are all still super young, and it’s not like they’ve had a good environment to grow in the Big Apple. Kevin Knox is another guy that theoretically fits very well next to Towns if he figures things out, and the Kentucky connection doesn’t hurt.

If either Knox or a young point guard hits, the trade is a success for Minnesota. If they both turn out, it’s a slam dunk. And if neither of them end up turning into anything, at least it’s a salary dump and a fresh start.

And sadly for the Timberwolves, even with an improved Wiggins, that just might be about the best they can get. ■

Follow Brandon on Medium or @wheatonbrando for more sports, television, humor, and culture. Visit the rest of Brandon’s writing archives here.