Following a humiliating blowout in Game 6 to the Dallas Mavericks, the Minnesota Timberwolves could seek a star-for-star trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers this summer in a retool for both squads.
Although both the Cavaliers and T-Wolves have the ultimate goal of reaching the NBA Finals, neither team could reach their potential this postseason. Both competitors are powerful but incomplete. Both of their flaws were exposed in the playoffs, and Minnesota's salary concerns could force them to make drastic choices this summer.
With Cleveland's floor spacing and redundant backcourt and Minnesota's expensive frontcourt and lack of offensive coordination at times, the Cavs and T-Wolves could prove to be perfect trade partners this year - at least on paper. With Darius Garland likely hitting the trade block if Donovan Mitchell signs an extension, the T-Wolves have reason to turn their attention to the talented young guard to pair alongside Anthony Edwards in the backcourt.
If the T-Wolves have an interest in Garland, the path to add him is complicated at best. The new trade restrictions in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) begin this summer, and Minnesota is already in the highest tier of restrictions.
The potholes in a Cavaliers-Timberwolves trade
With a cap sheet of more than $17.5 million over the initial luxury tax threshold, Minnesota cannot aggregate players in trades, and they cannot take back extra salary at all in a deal. This means the Cavaliers would have to take back more money and manage the burden of matching salary. Any trade with Cleveland requires the Cavs to do the heavy lifting, making an uphill battle for the two parties to agree.
Considering the Cavs' need for extra floor spacing in the frontcourt, both Naz Reid and Karl-Anthony Towns emerge as possible trade candidates. If the T-Wolves target Garland, though, Reid becomes an impossibility. Reid makes significantly less than Garland, and Minnesota cannot add another salary to the trade. This leaves KAT's $49.35 million salary as the sole big man Cleveland can target.
Facing heavy limitations by the CBA, what is the best path for a KAT-Garland swap, if there is one to find?