The Minnesota Timberwolves are fresh off a lackluster 104-97 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans. Despite the win, the team's inconsistency—particularly outside of Anthony Edwards' standout performances—remains a glaring issue.

These struggles have fueled speculation that Minnesota will be active in the trade market to solidify their playoff aspirations.

Julius Randle Trade Rumors

NBA Trade Rumors: Julius Randle, Kristaps Porzingis Could Switch Teams NBA Trade Rumors: Julius Randle, Kristaps Porzingis Could Switch Teams
Kristaps Porzingis and Julius Randle battle for the ball Elsa/Getty Images

There's a lot of noise on a trade of one of the Timberwolves' forwards. Three-team deal suggested by Sports Illustrated: Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls could end up trading Kristaps Porzingis to the Timberwolves, with Randle going in return to Boston.

In such a blockbuster, Minnesota would end up with Celtics' Kristaps Porzingis, as well as Chicago's Dalen Terry; the Bulls will acquire Julius Randle, besides draft picks-first-round pick and the following second-round pick.

Boston will get Bulls center Nikola Vucevic and forward Torrey Craig.

Why Timberwolves Might Roll the Dice

Minnesota has had an issue getting Randle to find some chemistry with his teammates at all. A change of scenery in Chicago could help him start over, maybe find some fits, and thrive as a focal point in the Bulls' starting unit.

For the Minnesota Timberwolves, Porzingis will bring necessary frontcourt variability, as a possible power-forward to play when paired with big Rudy Gobert or slide into center roles to spell in case Gobert needs more rest. Of course, such versatility would fix many of the team's weaknesses in offense for the Timberwolves.

Meanwhile, Boston brings home a strong rebounding entity in Vucevic and gets an experienced reserve presence in Craig for their rotation.

The Potential Downside: Porzingis' Durability

On paper, Porzingis is undoubtedly a strong fit for the Timberwolves. However, his injury history does raise concerns. As Sporting News notes, the big man missed a significant portion of the Celtics' playoff run, only returning during the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks.

For Minnesota, Levine wrote, "This is a risk: if Porzingis can stay healthy he could have taken the Timberwolves' offense to new heights, but his track record makes this risky."

High Risk, High Reward For Wolves

If the Timberwolves decide to pull the trigger on this trade, the benefits could be revolutionary. Porzingis can create space on the floor, and that is just what Minnesota needs to get their offense revitalized and really make a run at the playoffs. But there's a huge risk in giving up Randle's reliability for the uncertain health of Porzingis.

Fans of the Timberwolves will keenly observe in the approaching deadline if the front office will put everything at risk on Porzingis to try and end the on-court frustration.

In our recent NBA trade rumors report, Cam Johnson could have two options before the deadline—it's either the Pacers or the Grizzlies who could make a run for him.