The Minnesota Timberwolves have done a lot of trading this week. There is one player Tim Connelly is not moving. Donte DiVincenzo is staying put, and the front office has made that clear despite circling rumors.
The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski reported Wednesday that Minnesota will not trade DiVincenzo, even after acquiring LaMelo Ball from the Charlotte Hornets. The Wolves still want a power forward and more shooting, but DiVincenzo is not the asset they will move to get either.
That is a notable stance because DiVincenzo, on paper, looks like the kind of contract the Wolves would consider moving. He suffered a ruptured right Achilles tendon in the first round of last year’s playoffs. He is expected to miss a significant portion of the upcoming season. His $11 million salary is movable to teams looking to add a sharpshooter without big long term commitment.
So why is Minnesota holding the line?
Part of it is health optimism. DiVincenzo is 29 and was in great shape before the injury. Achilles recoveries vary wildly from player to player. Some guys come back stronger, like Kevin Durant. Others struggle, like DeMarcus Cousins did. The Wolves are betting on a strong recovery.
Part of it is value preservation. Trading a player coming off a major injury at his lowest value is the worst way to maximize what you can get for him. If DiVincenzo returns and looks like himself by the trade deadline, his stock goes way up. The Wolves can either keep him or flip him in February for more than they could right now.
The biggest reason might be roster fit. DiVincenzo appeared in all 82 regular season games before the injury. He is exactly the kind of three-and-D wing that Minnesota’s defensive identity is built around. With LaMelo Ball coming in as the new lead ball handler, having a veteran who can space the floor and defend wings is more valuable, not less.
The next move for Connelly is finding a power forward. Naz Reid is gone in the Ball trade. Julius Randle is the starting four. The bench depth at the position is razor thin. Expect Minnesota to use its smaller assets, possibly Mike Conley’s expiring contract or a second round pick, to address that gap.
Shooting is the other priority. The Wolves shot 36.4 percent from three last year, which was middle of the pack. With Ball and Anthony Edwards getting into the paint at will, Minnesota needs shooters who can space the floor and punish help defense.
DiVincenzo, when healthy, is exactly that kind of shooter. He shot 40 percent from three for two straight seasons before the injury. The Wolves are betting that the player who comes back midway through 2026-27 looks a lot like the player who got hurt last spring.
Minnesota has built a team that could win a title. DiVincenzo is part of the plan. He is staying.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
