Trade targets: All 30 teams (in progress)
Minnesota Timberwolves
Record: 15-36
13th place in West
Status: Sellers
An 8-8 start to the 2015-16 season raised hopes that the Timberwolves could get into the playoff race this season, but they were dashed when Minnesota went 4-12 in December. The organization knows its focus should be on the future, not the present, though the Wolves do value the leadership provided by veterans Kevin Garnett, Andre Miller and Tayshaun Prince. That leaves shooting guard Kevin Martin and center Nikola Pekovic as players who might not fit Minnesota's timeline.
Potential trade targets
Donatas Motiejunas, Houston Rockets
The most obvious hole in the Timberwolves' starting five of the future is a power forward who can stretch the floor next to Karl-Anthony Towns. Motiejunas -- drafted by the Rockets with a pick that came from Minnesota, as Brian Windhorst recently recounted -- could fit the bill while also defending post scorers and freeing Towns to focus on protecting the rim as a help defender.
Jared Sullinger, Boston Celtics
Sullinger is another impending free agent who could fit the Timberwolves' desire to play big while also providing needed floor spacing. Since Sullinger is in the Celtics' starting lineup, he'd probably only be available if Minnesota could get involved in a larger trade sending Boston a much-needed star.
Most trade value
1. Karl-Anthony Towns
This year's No. 1 overall pick is already a fringe All-Star candidate and will make just $20 million over the next three seasons -- less than Joe Johnson is making this season alone.
2. Andrew Wiggins
Wiggins' floor is lower than Towns, and he's got one less year on his rookie contract, but Wiggins' upside still makes him immensely valuable.
3. Zach LaVine
In hindsight, ranking LaVine third among second-year players in long-term potential might have been too optimistic, but at worst he projects as a high-scoring sixth man in the Jamal Crawford mold and he'll make just $5.6 million the next two seasons.
4. Ricky Rubio
Because of the growth in the salary cap, Rubio's extension pays him like a below-average starter -- an average of $14.1 million over the next three seasons. ESPN's real plus-minus suggests Rubio's playmaking and defense make him far better than that despite his shortcomings as a shooter and scorer.
5. Gorgui Dieng
Dieng's shot blocking and ability to facilitate and score from the elbow could make him a starter on a center-needy team like the New Orleans Pelicans. Towns blocks his path to the starting five with the Timberwolves.
6. Tyus Jones
As a rookie, Jones has played less than 100 minutes this season, but he's played reasonably well in the D-League and has plenty of time to develop -- he won't turn 20 until May.
Most valuable draft pick
2016 first-rounder
This is probably Minnesota's last year in the high lottery. The development of the team's young talent should push the Timberwolves into the playoff race by 2017, just in time for the protected pick they sent to the Phoenix Suns in a 2012 trade to expire.
The Boston Celtics (who subsequently acquired the protected pick from Phoenix) would get Minnesota's pick in the unlikely event it falls outside the top 12. Otherwise, the Timberwolves will send second-round picks this year and next to Boston.
Toughest contract to trade
Nikola Pekovic
Pekovic will make $12.1 million next season and $11.6 million in 2017-18. He only recently returned from a debridement of his Achilles last April and has looked less mobile following the surgery, though he remains a dangerous post scorer. Pekovic turned 30 on Jan. 3 and might never again be a starting-caliber center.
Player most likely to be traded
Kevin Martin
Expect Martin to be wearing a new jersey by the trade deadline. In the context of the rising cap, his $7 million salary no longer looks exorbitant. In fact, Martin might even opt out of the $7.4 million he's scheduled to make next season in favor of free agency. Still, Martin is more likely to fetch cap relief than draft picks or prospects now that Minnesota has made him available for trade and taken him out of the regular rotation.