At this point, it seems likely that second-year guard Rob Dillingham will find a new home at the trade deadline. He has been out of the Minnesota Timberwolves rotation since mid-December, and when Dillingham has played, he has struggled. The 6-foot-1 guard is averaging 3.6 points, 1.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists on 33.8/35.5/75 shooting splits.
Two weeks ago, Jake Fischer reported that trade in Dillingham is on the table before the February deadline. Despite Dillingham’s struggles, he could still have some value as a 2024 lottery pick, and trading him for a point guard would make sense.
However, Dillingham shouldn’t be the only young Timberwolves player on the trade block. Most notably, I think a trade involving Terrence Shannon Jr. should be on the table for the Wolves.
Dillingham and TSJ should be clear trade candidates
Shannon has been sidelined for the past eleven games due to a foot injury. And when he has played, like Dillingham, the sophomore has struggled. TSJ is averaging just 4.5 points, 1.3 rebounds and 0.6 assists on 39.5/40.5/77.8 shooting splits.
Although Shannon has struggled and at 25 is four years older than Dillingham, he may have more value on the open market. To be fair, Shannon has shown more evidence of being a productive NBA player than Dillingham. The highlight of Shannon’s career was scoring 35 points in the final three games of the 2025 Western Conference Finals. Plus, the floor of a 6-foot-1 wing will always be higher than the floor of a wiry 6-foot-1 guard.
Despite Shannon’s intriguing skill set, the reality is that he has not been able to produce when given minutes this season. When Shannon returns to the court, it is unclear what role (if any) he will have with the team.
You never want to give up on a second-year player. Nevertheless, positioning themselves for a championship run is the clear priority for the Wolves. And if the Dillingham trade is on the table, so should the TSJ trade.
If trading Shannon could get the Wolves a solid rotational guard like Scotty Pippen Jr., Tre Jones or Kris Dunn, then that’s something they should absolutely pursue. Perhaps the Wolves can package both Dillingham and Shannon in a deal for a PG.
Most of the focus on the Timberwolves’ potential deadlines will (understandably) be on Dillingham’s future with the team. Still, Shannon’s future should be something to watch for a similar reason.
All things considered, I wouldn’t be surprised if both players are moved at the deadline.
#Timberwolves #rumored #trade #deadline #plan #extend #Rob #Dillingham