NBA Trade Rumors: Timberwolves Foolish to Pursue Jamal Crawford Swap

David Kahn never ceases to amaze.

Just when the Minnesota Timberwolves started to look respectable again, another are-you-kidding-me-Kahn trade rumor surfaced.  And if the T-Wolves execute such a deal before the deadline, their progression will skip a beat.

According to ESPN’s Chad Ford, Minnesota is in a discussion with the Portland Trail Blazers over a swap of Luke Ridnour and Jamal Crawford. 

Congratulations, Kahn, you’re pursuing the exact type of player that the Timberwolves don’t need.

Minnesota is currently 21-19 and if the playoffs began today, they’d be the eighth seed in the Western Conference.  I know for the T-Wolves, this level of success if a huge deal, but they have absolutely zero—I repeat—zero chance to win the 2012 NBA Finals.  Only the biggest homer of a Timberwolves fan would lead you to believe otherwise. 

Scratch that—they’d have to be under the influence, too.

Rick Adelman’s crew isn’t a contender, but a team on the rise.  Their young core of Kevin Love, Ricky Rubio, Derrick Williams, Nikola Pekovic and Wesley Johnson is as promising as they come.  While the T-Wolves do need a 2-guard with Crawford’s scoring ability, what they need even more is to avoid everything else the 31-year-old would bring to the table.

By the time the Timberwolves are ready to compete for a title, Crawford’s age will make him a liability.  A veteran presence to mentor a young squad is one thing, but Crawford is old and a ball hog and a defensive sieve.  He wouldn’t take the T-Wolves to the next level—he’d kill the chemistry that’s such a key for an up-and-coming team’s development.

Minnesota’s only trade this week should be to rid themselves of the cancer that is Michael Beasley.  Anything else, especially one to bring in Crawford, another cancer, would be absolutely disastrous.

David Daniels is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report and a syndicated writer.

Follow @TheRealDDaniels