The Minnesota Timberwolves have spent five straight seasons knocking on the door of something real, only to have it slam shut in the playoffs. They’ve got Anthony Edwards turning into a superstar, they have a roster that looks good on paper, and they still can’t get over the hump. Now the front office is hunting for someone who can change that.
According to Jon Krawczynski at The Athletic, the Timberwolves have been most aggressive in going after Celtics guard Derrick White. The problem? Boston likes him too much to let him go — at least right now.
White is 32 and saw his three-point percentage dip this season. But his all-around game is still strong: 16.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 5.4 assists, plus over a block and a steal per game this year. He’s the kind of smart, defensive-minded guard who could slot right in next to Edwards and give Minnesota a backcourt that’s tough to score against. The Celtics know what they have in him though. He’s tight with coach Joe Mazzulla and respected across the locker room.
Minnesota’s first choice didn’t work out
Before White became the target, the Timberwolves reportedly had their eyes on Kyrie Irving. But Dallas made it clear they want to keep Irving and pair him with Cooper Flagg next season. That forced Minnesota to look elsewhere.
So now it’s White, and Minnesota isn’t being shy about it. They’ve been calling. They’ve been pushing. And Boston has basically said thanks but no thanks so far.
Could Rudy Gobert change the conversation?
Here’s where it gets interesting. There are whispers that the Celtics have some interest in Rudy Gobert. If that’s true, the Timberwolves might have a path to making this work. You could see a deal built around Gobert and the No. 28 pick in this year’s draft going to Boston in exchange for White. That’s not a done deal by any means, and the Celtics haven’t shown any signs of wanting to part with White. But it gives Minnesota something to work with.
The Wolves already made one big shakeup when they traded Karl-Anthony Towns to New York, bringing back Julius Randle. That deal looks worse in hindsight now that Towns won a title with the Knicks before Minnesota could get there. Randle could be on the move again too, along with Mike Conley Jr. The front office seems willing to shake things up if it means finally making a real run.
White isn’t the flashiest name on the market. He’s not going to sell jerseys like Luka Doncic or Steph Curry. But he’s the kind of piece that good teams find a way to get. The question is whether Boston will even pick up the phone long enough to negotiate, or if the Timberwolves are just spinning their wheels on a guy who isn’t going anywhere.
Right now, it looks like option two.
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