The Minnesota Timberwolves opened their season with a win last night, besting the Portland Trail Blazers 118-114.
Superstar Anthony Edwards had an offensive explosion in his season debut, dropping 41 points on 50% shooting from the floor.
Donte DiVincenzo, who was named the starting point guard hours before tipoff, only played 20 minutes in his debut, racking up six turnovers to only two assists.
Mike Conley played 13 minutes off the bench and also struggled to man the point, turning the ball over once and tallying one assist.
Minnesota is a great team, but it’s clear they’re in desperate need of an orchestrator.
DiVincenzo is a good player, but he is playing out of position as a point guard.
Conley is a great veteran to have and is likely an important voice in the locker room. But at age 38, he just doesn’t have it on a nightly basis anymore.
If the Timberwolves want to get serious about their 2025-26 season, they should find themselves a true point guard to help run the offense.
Timberwolves Trade Proposal Swaps Julius Randle for Collin Sexton
In a trade first proposed by Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey, the Minnesota Timberwolves would ship out Julius Randle to the Charlotte Hornets for a package headlined by Collin Sexton.
Charlotte Hornets receive: Julius Randle
Minnesota Timberwolves receive: Collin Sexton, Pat Connaughton, 2026 second-round pick (DEN or GSW), 2027 second-round pick (NOP or POR), 2029 second-round pick (DEN)
While the Timberwolves lose a key piece to their Western Conference Finals run in Randle, they gain a new starting point guard in Sexton, a rotational player in Pat Connaughton, and multiple future second-round picks.
“He’s a talent upgrade for Charlotte, though, and splitting his salary into a playmaker and a wing helps Minnesota’s depth a bit. The Wolves certainly need the former, with Mike Conley nearing 40. And everyone could use more of the latter,” wrote Bailey.
“If Sexton was able to perform like he did in 2023-24, this could wind up being a win for the Timberwolves, but that’s far from a given.”
Sexton could be the starting point guard Minnesota has been looking for in the wake of Conley’s regression.
Last year, the former Alabama standout averaged 18.4 points, 4.2 assists, and 0.7 steals per game, shooting 48.0% from the floor and 40.6% from three-point range.
If Sexton carries those numbers over from Utah, he would be a fine addition in Minnesota’s backcourt playing alongside Edwards.
Would the Hornets Make the Trade?
The Charlotte Hornets may be hesitant to make the trade, given that they have Miles Bridges on the roster.
Both Bridges and Randle play power forward and have similar skillsets as powerful bigs that can stretch the floor with their shooting prowess.
When analyzing the trade, Siddhant Gupta of Fadeaway World wrote that he believed Randle would fit alongside Bridges and LaMelo Ball.
“On the Hornets, Randleâs versatility and experience could be valuable. While slotting in next to Ball and Bridges, his scoring and playmaking skills could help increase the offensive options, subsequently improving their production,” wrote Gupta.
“Additionally, by inserting the three-time All-Star in the starting lineup, the Hornets would become a much longer team, giving them a greater chance of winning possessions by fighting for rebounds.”
If the Hornets are tired of perpetually rebuilding and finally want to try and make something out of this current core, an aggressive trade would start to put them on the right track towards contention.
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