NBA trade rumors: Timberwolves open to trading young core

Andrew Wiggins (right) of the Minnesota Timberwolves. | Wikimedia Commons / Erik Drost

The Minnesota Timberwolves have been struggling this season and many are surprised by their woes this early in the campaign.

At the moment, they are at 5-11 and sit last in the Northwest Division. They also hold the third to the worst record in the entire Western Conference.

What is surprising is that many believed the Wolves would progress this year given the fact that they have a young core and the group had the chance to play together for an entire season.

With the talent that they have, it was believed that the Wolves would be battling for playoff spots and yet, this has not been the case. This is why their head coach may be looking for change.

According to a tweet by Bleacher Report, Rich Bucher believes that Wolves head coach Tom Thibodeau is growing impatient with the team's struggles and may bring in a veteran players to try and lead the team toward the right direction on court.

However, more talks have emerged that coach Thibs may be open to letting go one of the young players in the core group.

In what sounds like a surprising move, the Wolves may end up trading a young gun for an older player; but if that is what the coach believes to improve the squad, then it will happen.

The Wolves may end up shipping out Karl-Anthony Towns, Ricky Rubio or even Andrew Wiggins if they can get a worthy trade for them.

Towns and Wiggins may be surprise names on the list given the talent and ceiling these players have. Among them, Rubio may be the most realistic choice for a trade given that the Wolves also have young guards in Tyus Jones and Kris Dunn.

Rubio is a great facilitator but is still a very poor shooter and the Wolves need a reliable point guard who can shoot the ball.

It remains to be seen how this rumor pans out.