Will the Minnesota Timberwolves strike out on Kyrie Irving?
The Minnesota Timberwolves could be looking to upgrade the roster around Anthony Edwards after glaring weaknesses showed in the second round of the playoffs against the San Antonio Spurs.
The Timberwolves lost in six games to the Spurs, who forced the ball out of the hands of Edwards and into the hands of Julius Randle, Jaden McDaniels, and anyone else on the team who wasn't as dangerous.
Minnesota failed to make the Spurs play, with Randle underperforming, McDaniels being overwhelmed, and no one else on the team making the necessary plays to punish San Antonio or uplift their star guard.
It became obvious that the Timberwolves needed a secondary playmaker, especially in the wake of Donte DiVincenzo's injury.
Is Kyrie Irving A Solution?
The Dallas Mavericks are moving in a different direction after drafting Cooper Flagg with the number overall pick in 2025. They traded Anthony Davis at the trade deadline and were without Kyrie Irving all season after he suffered an ACL injury in March 2025.
Rumors circulated that the Mavericks might move on from Kyrie as they continue to hand the keys to the kingdom to Flagg, but it turns out they might hold onto Irving.
"Sources tell The Stein Line that the Mavericks, thus far this offseason, have been messaging to teams that Irving is not available. Detroit and Minnesota are known to have Irving interest," wrote Marc Stein in his newsletter.
Things can always change, but as of now it seems like the Mavericks are willing to keep Irving to see what they potentially have in a Flagg-Irving duo.
What's Next For Minnesota?
If Irving is truly off the table, Minnesota has to find another avenue to improve the roster and find a secondary playmaker. They can't go into this season with the same roster that didn't look competitive against the Spurs in the second round.
While Jaden McDaniels should improve on the playmaking and creation end, Randle is who he is as a player, and while he's still valuable, his playoff shortcomings can't be ignored.
The Timberwolves are hoping to retain Ayo Dosunmu, who they acquired at the trade deadline and showed he could provide scoring punch off the bench, but also needs to improve in the playmaking department.
Ja Morant is reportedly available and could be had for the right offer, which Minnesota should consider making as he is a definite upgrade if he can stay healthy.
It may cost them Randle or Rudy Gobert, but Minnesota has to find a way to get younger and find more bounce off the dribble.
