Rumors are swirling that the Wolves, Cavs, and Pistons are mulling over a potential three-team deal that would send Minnesota’s #2 pick to Cleveland for picks #4 and #8. Basically, Detroit would part with their #8 selection in order to unload Rip Hamilton’s contract onto Cleveland who owns a massive trade exception. The Cavs would then package their own #4 and Detroit’s #8 to the Wolves in exchange for #2.
Assuming that the Cavaliers intend on taking Derrick Williams with the #2 pick, this trade could be a potential no-brainer. Either Enes Kanter or Brandon Knight would be a better fit for the Wolves than Williams. If Irving and Williams go with the first two picks, the Wolves are still assured that Kanter or Knight will be there at the #4 spot. The real question then becomes how much they value Kanter over Knight, or vice versa, as they’ll be stuck with whomever Utah doesn’t pick. If they see a big difference between the two players, it might be wiser to hold onto the pick and just select the one they prefer, as the #8 pick this is unlikely to yield an impact player.
Another plus to this trade is that it gives the Wolves two Top 10 picks to use to swing a trade for a veteran. I know that we’ve been drooling in the forums over potential trades for both Andre Iguodala and Rudy Gay. Having two first-rounders could give the Wolves the ammunition necessary to pull those deals off. It could also open the door to push one or both of those picks into the 2012 draft, which should be bursting at the seams with talent.
Really, the only downside here is if the Wolves fall in love with either Kanter or Knight and they end up getting picked by Utah. In my opinion, neither are sure enough bets to turn down the value of this trade for. The only other hinderance would be if a potential trade partner for a veteran was enamored with Williams and would over-value the opportunity to pick him up at #2.
The Wolves have time to shop around, but unless the #2 pick is critical for obtaining a proven vet, I think the Kahn Man should pull the trigger on this one.