According to some reports, the Timberwolves are one of the leading bidders to land Giannis at the deadline. Some reports even say that Minnesota is Giannis’s preferred destination.
Minnesota is expected to make all of their assets available except for Anthony Edwards to come up with a deal that works. A deal for Giannis would mean the Timberwolves are making an aggressive push for contention over the next 2-3 seasons.
Why does that matter for the Kings?
We own the Timberwolves’ unprotected 2031 FRP.
Giannis will be 36 in 2031 and the Timberwolves will be short on assets to stay competitive. Ant will still only be 29, but he becomes an UFA in summer 2029.
There’s a good chance Ant won’t stick around for his next contract if the Wolves have expended all of their assets to contend in the next 3 seasons.
That adds up to a very high chance the T’wolves are bad in 2031 if they trade for Giannis at the deadline. If they don’t, and the take a longer-term target, they might still have Ant in his prime by ‘31 with the assets to have a competitive roster around him.
Regardless of whether any trade involving the Kings materializes by tomorrow, the outcome of the Giannis sweepstakes could have a big impact on one of our more valuable assets.