Timberwolves trade targets: Ranking 5 best options for offseason upgrade, from Giannis Antetokounmpo to Ja Morant

The Minnesota Timberwolves, one way or another, figure to remain in the picture for Western Conference contention for years to come. But they also appear to be at a crossroads entering the offseason.

For the fifth-straight year of the Anthony Edwards era in Minnesota, the team has exited the playoffs short of the NBA Finals — this time in the second round, lacking the necessary scoring depth, size and playmaking to overcome Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.

Nearly two years ago, the Timberwolves decided they were willing to shake up their star core after a conference finals run by parting ways with Karl-Anthony Towns in exchange for Julius Randle and some much-needed depth. But at this point, Minnesota may be ready to go star hunting once again. If the Timberwolves are going to maximize Edwards' stardom, it could be time to cash in assets for a big fish on the trade market.

Here's a look at some possible trade targets for the Timberwolves this offseason as they continue seeking to make a leap from playoff to title contender.

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Ranking Timberwolves offseason trade targets

5. Kawhi Leonard

Realistically, the Timberwolves should be open for business on any player except Edwards. They'd likely have to get a good deal to trade Rudy Gobert, who remains an elite two-way force — but Randle, Jaden McDaniels or Naz Reid could wind up being the centerpiece of a trade if it means Minnesota can land a much-needed offensive co-star next to Edwards.

For now, the Clippers haven't yet shown any official indications that Kawhi Leonard will be available this offseason. But considering the Clippers' recent lottery luck, coming away with the No. 5 pick in a deep NBA Draft, and their partings with plenty of high-level players over the past two years, including Paul George, James Harden, Ivica Zubac and Chris Paul, it appears they're heading for a new era, one that Leonard won't make much of a difference in.

If Los Angeles did trade Leonard, it would certainly be maximizing his trade market at a perfect time. Even at 34 years old, the star wing is coming off a mostly healthy season (65 games) that included a career-high in scoring (27.9 PPG) while remaining an elite defensive force. Trading Leonard would allow the Clippers to kickstart a rebuild with Darius Garland, Bennedict Mathurin, the No. 5 pick and plenty of assets in return for their superstar.

Should Leonard become available, the Timberwolves would make for an intriguing fit. Whether Leonard — who previously spurned the Raptors in free agency for the warm sun in Los Angeles despite winning a title in Toronto — would want to play in Minneapolis is a major question, but on the court, he and Edwards could challenge Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum as the NBA's best wing duo.

One way or another, Edwards needs a co-star who can alleviate his scoring burden, especially against playoff defenses. Leonard has been torching opponents his entire career and looked as strong as ever in 2025-26. If a McDaniels-or-Randle-centered package with draft compensation is on the table, Minnesota should bite on Leonard.

— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) May 16, 2026

MORE: LeBron James' best options moving forward, from retirement to the Warriors

4. Jrue Holiday

While he's the least-flashiest name on this list, Jrue Holiday might be the "cheapest" player on the potential trade market who could also perfectly fill a need for the Timberwolves. One major area where Minnesota is lacking is playmaking — Randle led the team in assists per game in the regular season with 5.0, and the Timberwolves haven't had a player average at least seven assists per game since D'Angelo Russell in 2021-22.

Getting some kind of table-setter for the offense could work wonders for Edwards, who has often faced the burden of running the show against elite defenses. Especially following Donte DiVincenzo's injury, a 38-year-old Mike Conley simply wasn't a legitimate answer to run the Timberwolves' offense, and while Ayo Dosunmu proved his worth as a scorer, he's better fit for a sixth man role.

Holiday would seamlessly slot into the lineup next to Edwards as the initiator of the Timberwolves' offense, a strong defender even at 35 years old, fitting into Chris Finch's defensive philosophies, and a veteran who has lifted plenty of teams in the postseason, including his title on the 2024 Celtics. 

Holiday's contract is a bit inflated ($34.8 million cap hit in 2026-27, per Spotrac) for a player of his caliber and age, but he also does the kind of dirty work that can elevate a team into championship contention. Considering the Trail Blazers will be getting Damian Lillard back next season, also with Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe in their backcourt, there could be calls on Holiday this summer.

3. Kevin Durant

At this point in his career, there are two versions of Kevin Durant a team needs to take into serious consideration before attempting to acquire him: the player vs. the teammate. Whether the burner account allegations this past season were true or not, he hasn't exactly earned a great reputation as a teammate in Houston so far. But that's also why he could potentially be available after just one year with the Rockets, and Durant's offensive talents remain as elite as ever.

While his playoff run wasn't very indicative of it, Durant did stay healthy throughout 2025-26, playing in his most games (78) since 2018-19 with the Warriors while still averaging 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. Purely from a basketball standpoint, he remains a top-15 offensive player in the league, at minimum.

The Timberwolves have had rumored interest in Durant during his past trade sagas, but partially due to the star's lack of interest in Minnesota, nothing ever materialized. Perhaps it's time to revisit those conversations, however. 

Not only have Durant and Edwards become friendly with one another as competitors, but the 6-11 wing would provide a truly elite secondary scoring option to challenge defenses. They would only aid each other, never giving opponents the opportunity to bring many double-teams, and the infrastructure of the Timberwolves — including DiVincenzo, Gobert, Reid, etc. — would all make for a dynamic team that can beat opponents in multiple ways.

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) January 17, 2026

Durant also may not prove to be as expensive on the trade market as one may think after going for a package headlined by the No. 10 overall pick, Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks last year. Primarily for non-basketball reasons, his value has sunk a bit. Minnesota could take advantage by adding an all-time great to compete alongside Edwards in his prime.

MORE: Ranking the best Kevin Durant offseason trade destinations

2. Ja Morant

Stop for a moment and imagine the combined athletic chaos of a Ja Morant-Anthony Edwards backcourt. Immediately, the pairing would become one of the most explosive guard duos the NBA has ever seen.

At this point, there's more to acquiring Morant than just high-flying dunks and flashy passes, however. There's a reason the Grizzlies were forced to hold onto him through the 2026 trade deadline, with a lack of interest across the league — not only has Morant faced injury concerns, appearing in just 79 games over the last three seasons combined, but his off-the-court issues aren't doing favors for his trade candidacy. Morant reportedly did not mesh well with the staff in Memphis throughout the 2025-26 season, on top of his past controversies.

However, all of that means that Morant is a buy-low star of sorts on the trade market, expected to go for a surprisingly cheap package similar to the Trae Young-Wizards deal in January. Minnesota may not have to sacrifice much to land Morant and his $40 million salary — making the money work, likely by including Randle, may be the biggest hurdle.

On the court, there would plenty to get excited about with Morant in Minnesota. As mentioned with Holiday, the high-flying guard could run the offense, allowing Edwards to focus on scoring while keeping defenses honest with another elite finisher. Both Morant and Edwards are also capable defenders and can easily ignite fastbreaks, potentially making the Timberwolves one of the fastest teams in the NBA.

Doing due diligence on Morant's actual interest in bringing his best self to Minnesota would be wise. But if the Wolves feel comfortable with Morant's future, a trade could pay off in big fashion, giving Minnesota two All-Star guards who could take turns torching defenses with their athleticism.

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo

The Timberwolves haven't been viewed as a top contender in the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes, but they've certainly been lingering. Nearly every report over the past year of Antetokounmpo rumors has at least mentioned Minnesota's interest in pairing the do-it-all forward with Edwards, and for good reason — the two would arguably become the most talented duo in the league.

Of the players on this list, Antetokounmpo will undoubtedly cost the most to acquire; it will take multiple first-round picks and high-end players to land the longtime Bucks superstar, a former Finals MVP and two-time MVP. But as long as Antetokounmpo would sign an extension with the Timberwolves, he's worth going all-in for. No other Hall of Fame-type player of his caliber is guaranteed to be available in the next few years.

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 4, 2026

Offensively, Edwards-Antetokounmpo's pick-and-rolls would be a sight to see, from their combined abilities at the rim to their respective playmaking skills. While a lack of shooting may hurt, defensively, opponents would have nightmares about trying to score at the rim against a Antetokounmpo-Gobert frontcourt.

Landing Antetokounmpo would virtually guarantee the Timberwolves a top-five defense, with the next priority being to surround Edwards, Antetokounmpo and Gobert with enough shooting to prevent spacing issues.

From a pure talent perspective though, the "Greek Freak" should be an easy choice for "dream target" on Minnesota's offseason board.

MORE: Tracking the latest Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors