Are the Minnesota Timberwolves eyeing Lauri Markkanen?

Are the Minnesota Timberwolves eyeing Lauri Markkanen?

The Minnesota Timberwolves are on the rise in the Western Conference, led by guard Anthony Edwards, but adding more established talent is not out of the equation.

The Wolves fell three victories short of an NBA Finals appearance but made serious noise through the regular season and playoffs. Utah Jazz star Lauri Markkanen would add even more size to one of the biggest lineups in the league, but HoopsHype's Michael Scotto recently reported on Minnesota's interest.

The Warriors, Kings, Spurs, Timberwolves, and Pelicans are among the teams who’ve expressed interest in trading for Markkanen, league sources told HoopsHype," Scotto wrote. "Minnesota is a tougher trade partner unless the Timberwolves are theoretically willing to move Karl-Anthony Towns or Jaden McDaniels in a package for Markkanen. The Timberwolves also own their first-round picks in 2028 and 2030. By all accounts, however, Minnesota appears willing to bring the team’s core back and will try to make another deep playoff run this season."

If their package is hypothetically centered around McDaniels, Minnesota could have three 7-footers in their starting lineup. While it seems far-fetched to have a player of Markkanen's size at small forward, his play style could mesh well at the position. He averaged 23.2 points and 8.2 rebounds on 48% shooting from the field and 39.9% from 3-point range last season.

The Timberwolves would instantly become one of the most unique threats in recent NBA history, with arguably the league's top big-men shooters in Markkanen and Towns.