With little more than two weeks before the Feb. 7 NBA trading deadline, it is fair to say that none of the league’s 30 teams is in more of a muddle than the Minnesota Timberwolves.



Yes, like at least a handful of other ball clubs perched on the fringe of the playoff chase, the Wolves can currently make a good case for being either a buyer or a seller at the deadline. But in Minnesota, even that fundamental determination has to wait its place in line. Having fired head coach and president of basketball operations Tom Thibodeau less than three weeks ago, owner Glen Taylor has to decide how much trust and leeway he wants to invest in the interim personnel now replacing Thibs, which in turn is affected by how big — and expensive — a splash he wants to make with a front office hire during the offseason.



Meanwhile, the Wolves have a bevy of intriguing expiring contracts, a couple of comely albatrosses on the medium-and-long term payroll that could benefit...