Looks like the trade is official. Our pick swap is protected if better than number 20.
Even if a Giannis trade doesn’t go down, the salary dump makes trading Dilly easier. Before the trade, the Wolves could not take back more salary. But now they can take back a little over 8 mil. That’s enough to trade Dilly straight up for guys like Tre or Tyus Jones, or Ayo. Even bigger trades are much easier to construct. Sure seems like something will go down by Thursday.
Wolves Trade #1
-
Mnwild1128
- Posts: 53
- Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2026 10:03 pm
Re: Wolves Trade #1
Well it cannot be official until the Wolves actually recieve SOMETHING in that trade. Right now it is illegal. Has to be at least: 110k cash. A draft pick of some type. A player. Or the rights to some stashed player. That is what the league rules stipulate. I haven't seen anything yet.
Re: Wolves Trade #1
They released a statement they received cash considerations.
Re: Wolves Trade #1
They received cashMnwild1128 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 03, 2026 10:43 pm Well it cannot be official until the Wolves actually recieve SOMETHING in that trade. Right now it is illegal. Has to be at least: 110k cash. A draft pick of some type. A player. Or the rights to some stashed player. That is what the league rules stipulate. I haven't seen anything yet.
Re: Wolves Trade #1
This made me chuckle
Re: Wolves Trade #1
Serious question when is the last impactful player that was acquired via the buyout market. Think it’s pretty darn rare
Re: Wolves Trade #1
Another question. When was the last time a team won a NBA championship (or even made the NBA finals) after a February trade deadline deal for a 30-something star? Take away the February trade deadline parameter and what’s the answer? The only one I can come up with is Toronto’s acquisition of Kawhi Leonard, but Kawhi was only 27 years old then and the success lasted only one season. Here are some big-game hunt failures that come to mind even when the big game acquired was a player still in his late 20s:
1. Nets acquisition of Harden, Durant and Kyrie
2. Clippers acquisition of Paul George
3. Sixers acquisition of Paul George
4. Suns acquisition of Kevin Durant
5. Mavs acquisition of Kyrie
Meanwhile, the team on the other end of the Clippers deal for Paul George did extraordinarily well, landing SGA and 5 first round picks.
History is our best and nearly infallible teacher. We’d all be far better off if we were humble enough to accept its teachings.
Re: Wolves Trade #1
I’ll follow up my last post by reiterating my sense that the Wolves already have a deal for Giannis (or some other player as a backup deal) in place and are waiting on a few more details before announcing. I just can’t imagine TC dealing Conley and giving a pick swap as part of that deal just to trim some salary now for financial reasons or to create flexibility for a deal that may or my not happen.
The Conley trade makes no sense unless it’s tied to a major trade deadline deal. Mike Conley’s contract is expiring so it was going to come off the books at the end of this season anyway. The pick swap to trade Conley means we’ll have Detroit’s 2026 pick instead of our own, which means it will likely be pick 29 instead of what could be much higher depending on where he Wolves end up. This summer we’ll be able to deal our 1st round pick as part of a package. Right now, we can’t deal that pick and it will have less trade value in the off season because of the Conley deal. It’s clear that TC wanted the extra cap room right now and that has to mean he has a deal for which that extra cap room is essential. I think it’s Giannis, but if there is no Giannis deal actually in place, then I have to think that TC has another deal locked in as an alternative.
The Conley trade makes no sense unless it’s tied to a major trade deadline deal. Mike Conley’s contract is expiring so it was going to come off the books at the end of this season anyway. The pick swap to trade Conley means we’ll have Detroit’s 2026 pick instead of our own, which means it will likely be pick 29 instead of what could be much higher depending on where he Wolves end up. This summer we’ll be able to deal our 1st round pick as part of a package. Right now, we can’t deal that pick and it will have less trade value in the off season because of the Conley deal. It’s clear that TC wanted the extra cap room right now and that has to mean he has a deal for which that extra cap room is essential. I think it’s Giannis, but if there is no Giannis deal actually in place, then I have to think that TC has another deal locked in as an alternative.
Re: Wolves Trade #1
It was reported by Yossi Gozlan (cap guru) that the Wolves, as a result of the trade, have access to the nontax MLE, which can be traded for a salary now. If Giannis doesn't happen it means they could absorb someone into that so that would seem to be the fallback plan.Lipoli390 wrote: ↑Wed Feb 04, 2026 2:31 am I’ll follow up my last post by reiterating my sense that the Wolves already have a deal for Giannis (or some other player as a backup deal) in place and are waiting on a few more details before announcing. I just can’t imagine TC dealing Conley and giving a pick swap as part of that deal just to trim some salary now for financial reasons or to create flexibility for a deal that may or my not happen.
The Conley trade makes no sense unless it’s tied to a major trade deadline deal. Mike Conley’s contract is expiring so it was going to come off the books at the end of this season anyway. The pick swap to trade Conley means we’ll have Detroit’s 2026 pick instead of our own, which means it will likely be pick 29 instead of what could be much higher depending on where he Wolves end up. This summer we’ll be able to deal our 1st round pick as part of a package. Right now, we can’t deal that pick and it will have less trade value in the off season because of the Conley deal. It’s clear that TC wanted the extra cap room right now and that has to mean he has a deal for which that extra cap room is essential. I think it’s Giannis, but if there is no Giannis deal actually in place, then I have to think that TC has another deal locked in as an alternative.
Re: Wolves Trade #1
I really like that the pick swap is protected. There is a really decent chance the Wolves end up at 18 or 19 even if they get a higher seed due to tie breakers.60WinTim wrote: ↑Tue Feb 03, 2026 10:36 pm Looks like the trade is official. Our pick swap is protected if better than number 20.
Even if a Giannis trade doesn’t go down, the salary dump makes trading Dilly easier. Before the trade, the Wolves could not take back more salary. But now they can take back a little over 8 mil. That’s enough to trade Dilly straight up for guys like Tre or Tyus Jones, or Ayo. Even bigger trades are much easier to construct. Sure seems like something will go down by Thursday.