The Minnesota Timberwolves have traded Corey Brewer to the Houston Rockets for backup shooter Troy Daniels and two future second-round picks, according to Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski. The deal is not finalized, but should be soon. Injured Timberwolves big man Ronny Turiaf is also heading to Houston, but he could end up on a third team, Wojnarowski reports.
Corey Brewer traded to Houston Rockets, according to report
The Timberwolves’ wing was long been rumored to be on the move, and he’ll join a Rockets team in desperate need of some depth behind James Harden and Trevor Ariza.
The Rockets have an $8.4 million trade exception that allowed them to absorb Brewer’s contract without matching salary. They already had 15 players on the roster, so they may need to find a new home for Turiaf. Houston pushed to complete this deal before Dec. 19 because of an NBA rule that forces teams to wait two months after a player is required before including them a package for another trade. The trade deadline is Feb. 19.
Brewer will give the Rockets speed and defense off the bench behind James Harden and Trevor Ariza, both of whom have logged heavy minutes this season. He played a big role on Denver’s 57-win team in 2012-13 and was signed by the Timberwolves last summer in their push for the playoffs. He’s averaging 10.5 points and over two steals a game, but struggled to maximize his game in Minnesota’s half-court system. A return to a system closer to the Nuggets’ one in which he thrived could serve him well. The Cleveland Cavaliers were also rumored to be interested in Brewer, but Houston ended up winning the bidding.
The Timberwolves can now open up more playing time on the wing for youngsters Andrew Wiggins and Shabazz Muhammad.
★★★
See More:
