The trade deadline has come and gone.
For the Minnesota Timberwolves, nothing has changed, other than rumors swirling around the team of picking up some players that were bought out by other teams.
Derrick Rose seems to be the hottest commodity for the team, as he was traded this week from the Cavaliers to the Utah Jazz. Rose is then expected to clear waivers once he is released from Utah, and the Timberwolves are one of the contending teams that will try to sign him, per Marc Stein via Twitter.
The same rumors of Rose coming to Minnesota were in the air earlier in the season, as many thought a duo of Rose and Ricky Rubio were next for the franchise. Instead, the Timberwolves traded Rubio in a three-team trade that brought Jeff Teague to the squad.
The 2010-2011 MVP has chemistry in the past with head coach Tom Thibodeau and current players on the team including Jimmy Butler and Taj Gibson. The 29-year-old is coming at a bargain price, as he signed a one-year deal at the league minimum. He also can still provide some decent scoring production and a veteran presence. So yes, there are a few positives to having him.
The negatives are glaring though. The Timberwolves are ranked 25th in defensive rating, and it has been a constant struggle to find consistency on that end of the floor. Rose would not likely help those stats, as his overall defensive rating (DRtg) for his career is 109. His last three seasons alone (114) explain the digression even further. To put that into perspective, Basketball Reference has a ranking of the top 250 players in defensive efficiency of all-time. The 250th player listed is Kirk Hinrich, with a rating of 105.41. In other words, Rose is a complete liability on the defensive side of the ball. Once his offensive strengths were diminished due to injuries, the point guard’s defensive abilities have been put under a microscope.
It is also hard to imagine how exactly Thibodeau is going to use him in the rotation. Teague is the solidified starter, and Tyus Jones has done enough to earn the backup spot, if not some starter minutes at times. Knowing Thibodeau, he will likely take away minutes from Jones to get Rose on the court. They could also slide Rose in the two-guard spot, but it is difficult to see that with Butler, Andrew Wiggins, and Jamal Crawford seeing time there.
One name that stands out is Marco Belinelli. The 6’5” small forward/shooting guard has been bought out by the Atlanta Hawks.
In 52 games with the Hawks, Belinelli has shot 37.2 percent beyond the arc, paired with a career-best 92.7 percent from the free throw line. In other words, the 31-year-old is a three-point specialist that would provide valuable wing depth. The Timberwolves could surely use him to bolster their bench.
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| Marco Belinelli with the Chicago Bulls during the 2012-2013 season. |
Belinelli also has chemistry with Thibodeau in Chicago, as he played for him during the 2012-2013 season. The only downside to obtaining the unrestricted free agent: Minnesota will not be able to compete when it comes to offering Belinelli the most money. The Timberwolves are already over the salary cap, and teams like Golden State, Oklahoma City, and Boston would surely be able to offer more. It is remaining to be seen if the team pursues him with great interest. KSTP’s Darren Wolfson had an update Friday evening on Minnesota’s interest in Belinelli.
The Timberwolves would most certainly benefit better with players like Belinelli, Joe Johnson, or even Boris Diaw. Johnson would have to take a severe pay-cut to come here, so that is highly unlikely. Diaw would be more of a team guy to bring in, as he hasn’t played in the NBA since last season.
Another story to watch in the coming days: what will Minnesota do with Shabazz Muhammed? Many reports had come out that Muhammed wanted to be traded or released, as his role has been heavily reduced this season.
The trade deadline has come and gone, and it is yet to be determined if Muhammed will be released. Unless the organization adds another piece to the team, it looks unlikely that Muhammed will be moved. Thibodeau is content with having the depth of the UCLA alum, even though he is not seeing a lot of minutes this season. Last year, Muhammed averaged 19.4 minutes a game. Fast forward to this season, and he is only averaging 9.6 minutes. He also appeared in 78 games for the team last season, and it is very unlikely the 25-year-old will see 50 games this year.
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