Blockbuster NBA Trade Idea To Solve One Contender's Looming Point Guard Problem

The Minnesota Timberwolves have one of the strongest rosters in the NBA. But after back-to-back Western Conference Finals appearances, the team faces a significant concern.

Veteran point guard Mike Conley will turn 38 before the start of the season.

How can the franchise, hampered by a heavy payroll, find a younger replacement?

The answer may be found in a complex, multi-team trade idea involving a 21-year-old, former No. 6 pick from the Orlando Magic.

Rope in the Atlanta Hawks, and then the Utah Jazz for some flexibility, and the following four-team concept makes sense.

Full Trade Scenario

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Timberwolves get:

• Anthony Black (from Magic)

Hawks get:

• Rob Dillingham (from Timberwolves)
• 2031 second-rounder (via Timberwolves)
• $4.5 million trade exception (Kobe Bufkin)

Jazz get:

• Kobe Bufkin (from Hawks)
• Bones Hyland (from Timberwolves)
• $1.1 million (from Magic)

Magic get:

• 2026 protected first-rounder (via Hawks)
• 2028 second-rounder (via Jazz)
• $8.0 million trade exception (Anthony Black)

Notes: Hyland joins the Jazz via sign-and-trade from Minnesota, on a three-year minimum contract with just the first season guaranteed. Atlanta takes Dillingham in via the Bogdan Bogdanović trade exception. The Jazz acquire Bufkin with its non-taxpayer mid-level exception and Hyland via the PJ Tucker trade exception.

Minnesota triggers a second-apron hard cap at $207.8 million via aggregation of Dillingham and Hyland. Atlanta, Orlando, and Utah previously triggered first-apron hard caps at $194.7 million, but none exceed the $187.9 million luxury-tax threshold.

The Hawks previously gave the San Antonio Spurs 2026 first-round swap rights. Atlanta can swap the lower of the two with whatever selection the Cleveland Cavaliers have, which could be from the Jazz or Timberwolves from prior deals. Based on the results of the 2025 lottery, the pick projects to be Atlanta's own first in 2026. That selection, whatever the result, based on end-of-season standings, will go to the Magic, but with top-14 protection for the Hawks.

If the first via Atlanta is protected, Orlando will instead get a 2026 second-rounder, specifically, the lower selection from the Boston Celtics and (whichever pick is higher from the Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat), along with a 2029 second-rounder from the Cavaliers.

Minnesota sends the Hawks the higher of their own 2031 second-rounder or one from the Golden State Warriors. The Jazz send the Magic the lowest second in 2028 from the Detroit Pistons (31-55 range), Charlotte Hornets, LA Clippers, Miami Heat, and New York Knicks.

Why the Minnesota Timberwolves Do It

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The Timberwolves don’t need a modern high-usage point guard. The team has two primary scorers, Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle. Going with a scoring lead guard would be counterproductive.

Black is a 6’7”, 21-year-old high-level defensive-minded guard. In 24.2 minutes off the bench for Orlando, he averaged 9.4 points with 3.1 assists. He’s not a great shooter (31.8 percent) from three, but showed flashes as a rookie (39.4 percent on just 1.4 attempts per game).

At $10.1 million for 2026-27, Black isn’t significantly more expensive than Dillingham ($6.9 million), but he’s more ready to play. The Timberwolves are trying to win now, and Black played 17.8 minutes per game through Orlando’s first-round series against the Boston Celtics. His ability to guard multiple positions would help offset the loss of Nickeil Alexander-Walker.

Initially, Black can come off the bench behind Conley, who is in the final year of his contract. For context, Black is represented by Bill Duffy of WME Sports, the same agent representing Jaden McDaniels and Edwards. Also, when considering ancillary connections, Minnesota general manager Mike Lloyd spent several years as the assistant GM with the Magic.

The Timberwolves traded up to No. 8 to draft Dillingham in 2024, but he hasn’t shown he’s near ready to take over for Conley. Hyland is in the deal to make the numbers work. If he signs overseas before a deal gets done, Minnesota could instead include Leonard Miller (or Jaylen Clark, though he’s begun to carve out rotation minutes).

The Wolves would round out the roster with a minimum player to get to 14 regular contracts, finishing about $2.2 million under the second apron (allowing room for a 15^th soon into the season).

Why the Atlanta Hawks Do It

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The Hawks have made significant upgrades this offseason, acquiring Kristaps Porziņģis, Luke Kennard, Asa Newell (No. 23) and Alexander-Walker. With a healthy Jalen Johnson and an Eastern Conference weakened by injury, Atlanta could use additional help behind Trae Young at point guard.

The team swaps out third-year guard Bufkin, who missed significant time with a shoulder injury, for second-year Dillingham. The Hawks gain more time with a rookie-scale prospect, and Dillingham may be a better fit in Atlanta stylistically.

Giving up a first may sound daunting, but the Hawks would expect the pick to be at least in the 18-20 range, with lottery protection. The recent acquisition of the higher 2026 first from the New Orleans Pelicans and Milwaukee Bucks frees up the Hawks' own first to be traded. Regardless, Atlanta gains a potentially valuable second in 2031, riding on the long-term success of the Warriors and Timberwolves.

That’s not an excessive price to swap Bufkin (No. 15 in 2023) for Dillingham (No. 8 in 2024), gambling on the latter’s unrealized upside.

Why the Utah Jazz Do It

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Utah essentially gets a free look at Bufkin. The rebuilding Jazz are acquiring young players to see which ones pop. Adding an almost 22-year-old former lottery pick for nothing but a weak 2028 second-rounder (the lowest of five teams) seems like a no-brainer.

Roster space is an issue. The team is acquiring Georges Niang from the Boston Celtics, and with Bufkin and Hyland, the Jazz would need to get out of three players before the start of the regular season. Kevin Love is expected to be traded or cut, but Utah would have a couple of months to sort out the end of the roster (perhaps KJ Martin, Svi Mykhailiuk or Kyle Anderson). Hyland, who would only have the 2025-26 season guaranteed on his deal, might last a few days with the team, ripe for waiver to play overseas.

Why the Orlando Magic Do It

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The Magic are fond of Black, taken at No. 6 in 2023, but he doesn't shoot well (the team's most significant weakness last season) and, realistically, is too expensive. Orlando is over the tax as constructed, and when Paolo Banchero's max extension kicks in next year, the second apron is a serious concern.

Barring a significant shift, the Magic have Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane, Jalen Suggs and Banchero locked in long term. The team added Tyus Jones as a free agent and drafted Jase Richardson at No. 25. That may need to be enough behind Suggs at point guard, at least in terms of expensive-salaried players.

To give up Black and get under the luxury-tax threshold, the Magic send the Jazz $1.1 million. In return, Orlando gets a first and a second, or if protections trigger, a total of three second-rounders.

Without needing another trade this season, the Magic can sign a 14th player at the vet minimum, perhaps veteran Cory Joseph, who filled essential minutes last season due to injuries.

The Magic may not love the idea of getting out of Black before he realizes his potential, but the team can't afford him if he does.

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