As Christmas approaches, the NBA trade rumor market is heating up. Teams with championship aspirations who have started the season on the wrong foot are looking at alternatives. One of those in desperate need is the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Wolves are reportedly eyeing a high-profile backcourt for their superstar guard, Anthony Edwards, and might be willing to cut loose one of their stars.

The Timberwolves have lost three straight games and have dropped to 7th in the Western Conference with a 10-8 record. Amid this, according to ClutchPoints’ Brett Seigel, the franchise’s front office wants a change of personnel and might be interested in trading veteran star Julius Randle for the right price.

“There is a growing sense that the Timberwolves will sell high on Julius Randle should the right star become available,” the reporter has revealed.

The three-time All-Star forward only joined the team last season. Moreover, despite a shaky start, he became a fan favorite by the end of the team’s Conference Finals run during the 2024-25 campaign. This season, the 30-year-old has picked up his form right where he left it last season.

So far, he’s averaging a solid 23.4 points along with 7.5 rebounds and 5.7 assists while shooting 49.8 percent from the field. That’s quite an impressive stat line to say the least. Well, given his form, a few teams might think of offering him a deal, but will they bring what Minnesota wants to the table? That’s highly unlikely.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are looking for a star guard, preferably a point guard, to play alongside Anthony Edwards. Well, of course, the first point guard who’s on the move and might excite the franchise’s front office is obviously Ja Morant. But the Wolves don’t have enough in the purse to pursue Morant or any other superstar guard.

So things won’t be easy for the franchise even if they are willing to give up Julius Randle. However, do they even need to do that in the first place? Well, probably not. It’s still quite early into the season, and if we know anything about this group of Timberwolves players, they know how to make a comeback, something they mentioned during their most recent team meeting.

Chris Finch and Mike Conley demand change from the entire locker room

After the Minnesota Timberwolves’ disappointing loss against the Sacramento Kings, veteran point guard Mike Conley called for a team dinner. And not just any dinner, but a compulsory one to attend, in Oklahoma City. So, the 19-year veteran booked a room, and everyone on the team joined him, including ANT, who’s going through a slump, for a harsh yet needed conversation.

“Even at dinner, things that we said are things we say in the locker room and in timeouts or talking on the phone individually or whatever it may be,” Conley said. “Guys handle things differently. Personalities are different. But we all accept accountability in what we have to do to get better as a team.” One such thing that needed accountability was the team’s recent late collapses.

Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch noticed that one of the major reasons for these defeats was the fact that his players were not playing with joy and connectivity, something that’s the backbone of this team. Last season, the primary reason Minnesota was so successful during the business end was its team chemistry.

Now, that’s missing, and for that, they need to regroup and be on the same page. That’s exactly what Mike Conley and Chris Finch demanded from the rest of the roster. However, for that, basketball isn’t always needed; just casual conversations could also do the job just fine. Will work or not, only time will tell, as Minnesota hopes to snap its losing streak against the Celtics.