Wolves Reportedly Refused Kawhi, Harden Trade for Jaden McDaniels, Only Available for Giannis, Jokic

The Minnesota Timberwolves have a select group of stars for whom they're willing to leverage their best remaining trade assets this summer, according to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto.

Scotto reported the Wolves consider wing Jaden McDaniels to be "essentially untradable" unless they're landing the Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo or Denver Nuggets' Nikola Jokić.

Early into the 2025-26 season, the Los Angeles Clippers looked into a deal for McDaniels, with James Harden or Kawhi Leonard going the other way. That was a nonstarter for Minnesota.

The Timberwolves are in a tough spot this summer.

After successive trips to the Western Conference Finals, the franchise went backward with a second-round loss to the San Antonio Spurs. More concerning, the front office has sacrificed a lot draft capital to put this roster together and handed big extensions to McDaniels, Rudy Gobert, Naz Reid and Julius Randle. Any path to improving is tricky.

There isn't much left that can help land a marquee talent if the front office prefers to aim high in strengthening Anthony Edwards' supporting cast.

McDaniels is one piece who could realistically be a headliner in an outgoing package. The 25-year-old is a genuine two-way player in the prime of his career, and he's signed through 2028-29.

If the Bucks, for example, were to get McDaniels, he could be a long-term focal point of their frontcourt or somebody they flip at a later date to accelerate their rebuild.

Still, Minnesota would have to include more than just McDaniels in order to make the trade happen.

The Stein Line's Jake Fischer reported Friday the Timberwolves reached out to the Bucks about a Giannis pursuit, having done so prior to the deadline. They discovered Milwaukee "is said to have asked for even more now than the teams discussed in the winter," per Fischer.

By targeting a star on the level of Antetokounmpo or Jokić, Minnesota risks giving up so much it's basically in the exact same position. There's more talent at the top but not enough depth to challenge the Spurs or Oklahoma City Thunder for West supremacy. Giannis' player option in 2027-28 looms large as well.

After the New York Knicks leaned on continuity over more roster turnover en route to winning the Finals, maybe the Wolves just need some fine-tuning to get over the hump.