Mid-season Shopping

Expect the Minnesota Timberwolves to be active participants in the NBA's midseason shopping spree.
Not in the interest of making this year's playoffs, the Timberwolves will likely be testing the market to see if they can't acquire a few role players or future draft picks ahead of the Feb. 19 trading deadline.
Here are those who may be dealt.

1. Mike Miller: the reason Minnesota made the deal with Memphis exchanging O.J. Mayo for Kevin Love, has had an unproductive, injury-riddled half season. Miller was supposed to add range to the Timberwolves' paint-heavy offense. That hasn't happened and, according to owner Glen Taylor, may land him in a different uniform by the 19th.

2. Rashad McCants: A shooter who can't do much else. McCants has been the model of the Timberwolves under former coach Randy Wittman: undisciplined, lazy and selfish. Coach Kevin McHale hasn't played the former No. 1 pick (14th overall in 2005) since Jan. 7. In the last year of his rookie contract, McCants could provide a viable scoring threat for the second half in the right environment. It's hard to imagine any takers, but if Gerald Green was tradeable, there's a chance. Otherwise McCants will be stuck seeing more of the lonely end of the bench.

3. First Round Draft Picks: worthwhile, but superfluous at a certain point. NBA teams can only carry 12 men on their active roster and 15 total. Four first-round picks is a bit much no matter how you look at it because contracts are guaranteed. Look for Minnesota to try and package one or two picks with McCants or Miller, rather than trading straight up for a current player.