Golden State Warriors: Wolves have set themselves up for D’Angelo Russell
By Tony Pesta
It seems the Timberwolves are set to make a serious push to acquire D’Angelo Russell from the Golden State Warriors.
A four-team trade involving 12 players shook the NBA world on Tuesday. Though the Golden State Warriors did not participate, they will be indirectly impacted as the Minnesota Timberwolves are now in an improved position to trade for D’Angelo Russell.
The Warriors have been listening to offers for Russell and one team that has persistently attempted to make a deal is the Minnesota Timberwolves. In spite of their best efforts, there reportedly remains a “gulf” between the Wolves’ offer and what the Warriors want in return for D-Lo.
Russell is a highly coveted prospect. At 23 years of age, Russell has improved rapidly in each of the last two seasons and has played at an All-Star level. There is potential for D-Lo to become a very impactful player in the future.
The Wolves are hungry to acquire Russell and surround their sole-star, Karl-Anthony Towns, with a supporting cast strong enough to keep him in Minnesota for the long run. A 12 game losing streak has the pressure mounting for the front office.
Following the massive four-team trade that saw the Wolves shipping out multiple players in order to secure a first-round pick. This pick could then be packaged with Andrew Wiggins and flipped in a deal with the Warriors.
Wiggins for Russell straight up is something that hasn’t interested the Warriors too much. It has been reported that the Dubs are seeking draft compensation as well, which is something the Wolves just made possible.
This deal appears to be a solid one for the Warriors. They would gain a talented offensive forward in Wiggins while also adding another draft pick to their stash.
However, the Warriors should be careful about dishing Russell before the deadline. The franchise has yet to see Russell play alongside a healthy Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. There is no use in trading Russell before finding his full potential.
Furthermore, Russell is on contract for three more seasons and has shown no signs of wanting out of Golden State. The Warriors have no reason to rush a deal before finding the perfect fit. This Minnesota exchange is decent but not worth trading Russell this early into his tenure.