Tyus Jones is exactly the roster upgrade the Timberwolves need

About 90 minutes before tipoff on Wednesday night, Timberwolves guard Shake Milton and assistant coach Pablo Prigioni walked the length of the Target Center court together, Prigioni talking rapidly as Milton bent his head and listened.

This season has not gone well for Milton. The Timberwolves signed him as a free agent to become their backup point guard, one who could increase his scoring and provide a strong defensive presence. Milton is shooting 45% on two-point shots and 27% on three-point shots, both career lows.

Milton has played his way out of the rotation at a time when one of the Wolves' primary flaws has been a propensity for committing turnovers. The Wolves have survived Milton's struggles by backing up starting point guard Mike Conley with their usual odd assortment of ballhandlers, from Anthony Edwards to Kyle Anderson to Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Jordan McLaughlin, a true backup point guard, has also given the team jolts of energy and offense in the last two weeks.

On a deep, talented and cohesive roster, there are few true needs, but a veteran backup point guard who can run a team, avoids turnovers and shoots efficiently would instantly upgrade an already-talented roster.

I know just the guy.

So do you.

Apple Valley alum and former Timberwolf Tyus Jones would be an ideal fit on this team. In his first season for the Washington Wizards, he's having his best offensive season, with career highs in points per game (12.5), two-point shooting percentage (.588) and three-point percentage (.426).

He's an excellent ballhandler and passer, remains the same genius in sneakers he was at Apple Valley and Duke, and is bigger and better defensively than McLaughlin, who has trouble staying on the court once opponents begin picking on him.

Everyone from Wolves boss Tim Connelly to Jones' fans knows that this is a match made in heaven.

The question is whether the Wolves can give Washington enough to close the deal for a guard who will be coveted by other contenders.

The Wolves traded four first-round picks as part of their trade for Rudy Gobert. They can't afford to trade a rotation player for Jones as they try to complete the best regular season in franchise history, although it will be fascinating to see how they deal with Anderson's shooting woes.

Is Jones worth a further expenditure of draft picks, or one or more of the Wolves' most promising youngsters? Would Washington accept a couple of expiring contracts as they try to rebuild, perhaps in some kind of three-way trade?

I don't know the answer, I just know that is the question the Wolves should be asking right now.

Wednesday night, after the Wolves became the last team in the NBA to lose consecutive games, Edwards admitted that the offense flows better when Conley is dictating like an old-school point guard, rather than Edwards trying to power-dribble through multiple defenders.

"I think we need to let Mike initiate everything,'' Edwards said. "I've got to stop coming back for the ball, because that plays into the defense's hands, going into ball screens and getting trapped. I think we've got to let Mike initiate the offense more and play on the corners. That'll help us a lot.''

Jones would give the Wolves two smart, starting-caliber point guards who can run the offense and make big shots.

Anderson has played de facto point guard, and played the role well, since his arrival, but his shooting yips are becoming a major problem for this offense. He is hesitant to shoot, and when he does, his shot itself looks hesitant. He's making 12.5% of his three-point shots, and opposing teams are now backing off him and daring him to shoot, which makes the offense stagnant.

Wednesday night, Anderson went 0-for-2 from the field and played just 13 minutes. Last year, he might have been the Wolves' most valuable player. At the moment, he's the most worrisome member of their rotation, even as his defense and savvy remain admirable.