New York Knicks: Five potential trades at 2018 NBA Draft

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HOUSTON, TX – APRIL 18: Head Coach Tom Thibodeau of the Minnesota Timberwolves speaks with the media after the game against the Houston Rockets during Game Two of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on April 18, 2018 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images) /

2. Trading Up To No. 20

This may actually be the most realistic of the potential trade options. The New York Knicks are in the market for prospects, meaning Courtney Lee is an expendable asset who will turn 33 years of age in October and likely wants to play for a contender.

The Minnesota Timberwolves, meanwhile, are a contending team that could benefit from adding cost-efficient contracts, but are also in a unique position.

Swapping for Lee for Aldrich would benefit Minnesota, which already have three high-level bigs: Karl-Anthony Towns, Taj Gibson, and Gorgui Dieng. The hurdle is that Aldrich is owed a non-guaranteed salary of $6,956,021 for 2017-18, which means he could be cut.

True as that may be, the Timberwolves would still have minimal cap space as they attempt to sign a player who’s of Lee’s caliber—and potentially fail to do so.

Furthermore, Tom Thibodeau is both the head coach and president of basketball operations for the Timberwolves. Thibodeau has long been known as a coach who’s reluctant to play rookies, which could mean he’d be in favor of acquiring a proven veteran like Lee.

Minnesota ranked dead last in three-point field goals made in 2017-18, which makes a 3-and-D wing with postseason experience the perfect fit.

Throw in the fact that Jamal Crawford recently opted out of his contract and Minnesota has a veteran void to fill.

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