Minnesota Timberwolves – Karl-Anthony Towns
After trading for multiple-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert last summer, the Minnesota Timberwolves suffered a painfully similar early exit in these past playoffs. Gobert struggled to gel on the court alongside fellow superstar big Karl-Anthony Towns.
With Anthony Edwards forcefully claiming the future of the franchise as his own, it’s only a matter of time before the Wolves have to make a tough decision regarding the core of their team. While trading Gobert would be the easier pill to swallow for fans, it’s a lot harder to do in practice compared to finding a deal for KAT who’s significantly younger and more malleable.
If things start out sour again for Minnesota, dealing away Towns should bring them back a hefty enough return to revamp their roster and their title chances.
Oklahoma City Thunder – Luguentz Dort
The Oklahoma City Thunder have already had to make some painful subtractions from their roster due to the sheer abundance of talent they employ. With a surplus of future draft picks still in store, they’ll have to continue to make difficult decisions simply to make room for their incoming prospects.
The next piece that’s most likely to be gone is Luguentz Dort. Arguably the best perimeter defender in the league pound-for-pound, Dort is a perfect target for any playoff hopeful looking to beef up their point-of-attack defense. He’s on a relatively palatable contract, and OKC already has plenty of young upstarts who could theoretically replace his production.