NBA Trade Rumors: Jamal Crawford Exactly What Timberwolves Need for Playoff Push

The best days for this current Minnesota Timberwolves squad are squarely in the future. They're playing much, much better this year than they were a year ago, but their youngsters still have a lot of maturing to do before they're ready to make significant noise in the Western Conference.

But since the Timberwolves are in a position to go for broke this year, they may as well do it. One more puzzle piece could be enough for them to make the Western Conference playoff cut.

A couple days ago, Alex Kennedy of HOOPSWORLD reported that the Timberwolves are eyeing a certain Portland Trail Blazers shooting guard:

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The Minnesota Timberwolves are making a strong push to acquire Jamal Crawford prior to the trade deadline, according to multiple sources.

— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) March 6, 2012"

Kennedy updated the situation on Wednesday, saying the Timberwolves are still in the mix for Crawford, but that they have competition in the form of the Los Angeles Clippers. They need a shooting guard to take Chauncey Billups' place, and they may be desperate enough to outbid the Wolves for Crawford.

However, ESPN's Chad Ford hinted that the Blazers and Wolves are already talking business. In a Wednesday chat, Ford wrote that the two teams are talking about a Crawford-Luke Ridnour swap.

It makes sense that the Blazers would target Ridnour. It's become apparent that they need a point guard, and the Wolves have point guards to spare.

And yes, it would also make sense for the Blazers to trade Crawford. He's been good for them this season, but Kennedy's sources have told him that Crawford intends to opt out of his contract after the season is over, thus entering the free-agent waters once again. 

My gut tells me the Blazers wouldn't just do a Crawford-for-Ridnour trade straight up, but the Wolves are definitely a team they can do business with. And if the Wolves are truly committed to making a push for the playoffs this season, they have plenty of incentive to outbid the Clippers and other teams for Crawford's services.

In the event that the Wolves do land Crawford, they'll be getting another scorer who could provide some much-needed relief for Kevin Love. They'd still be a largely imperfect team, but Crawford would certainly give them enough firepower to sneak into the Western Conference playoffs as a No. 8 seed.

The Wolves are currently tied with the Houston Rockets for the eighth-best record in the West and they're riding a three-game winning streak, yet their biggest problem this season has been stringing wins together. They get hot for a moment, and then they get cold again, and the process repeats itself. But given the fact the team itself is a work in progress, it could, and perhaps should, be a lot worse.

The Wolves will still be a work in progress even after acquiring Crawford, but they'd also be a team that none of the heavy hitters in the Western Conference would look forward to facing. Having to go up against the likes of Kevin Love, Ricky Rubio and Derrick Williams is tough enough. Add a talented and proven player like Crawford to the mix, and the Wolves would be an even tougher draw.

In time, they'd also be a legitimate threat to make the playoffs.