NBA Trade Rumor: Kyrie Irving To The Timberwolves In Proposed Deal

The Minnesota Timberwolves know they need to add another star player to help take the attention off Anthony Edwards, and to prove to Ant that they're serious about contending in the tough Western Conference, lest he might start considering bolting the Twin Cities.

Giannis Antetokounmpo seems to be their No. 1 target this summer, but as noted by Christopher Kline in Fansided, the T-Wolves don't have the massive draft capital that any trade for Giannis would ultimately require.

Instead, he proposes that Kyrie Irving would be a fallback for Minnesota, and suggests the following trade that could get it done:

Minnesota Timberwolves receive:

Kyrie Irving

Dallas Mavericks receive:

Julius Randle
Donte DiVincenzo (out until at least late next season)
2026 first-round pick (28th overall)
2028 first-round pick

"Donte DiVincenzo's Achilles injury illuminates a glaring need in the backcourt. A need Kyrie Irving can certainly address," writes Kline. He adds that Mike Conley's days as a viable contributor are done, and guard Terrence Shannon Jr. has been a non-factor in his first two seasons.

Could Kyrie Irving pair in the backcourt with Anthony Edwards?

"Irving can come in and give Minnesota the perfect complement to Edwards in the backcourt. Irving and Ant are both elite off-ball scorers; both can create advantages, pressure the rim, and set things in motion. Edwards' blunt explosiveness and Irving's writhing creativity is a fun stylistic contrast," says Kline.

Of course, how Irving will look at age 34 after missing the entire season following left ACL reconstruction surgery, is an unknown at this point.

From the Mavericks' end of this, do they really want to bring in Randle and the two years to run on his contract at an average of $34 million? Kline figures maybe they have to get a third team involved to take that on.

It could be an exciting change for the T-Wolves, and the Mavericks would dig in to their youth rebuild around Cooper Flagg with a couple more solid draft picks and whatever pieces they'd be able to turn Randle into.