The Minnesota Timberwolves thought they had D’Angelo Russell last summer. Armed with max salary cap space and his close friend Karl-Anthony Towns, the Wolves headed into free agency confident they could ink Russell to a deal. It fell apart in the hours just before July 1, when Russell reached an agreement with the Golden State Warriors as part of a sign-and-trade for Kevin Durant.
The Warriors trading D’Angelo Russell to the Timberwolves would be a win-win for both sides
Why a trade sending Russell to Minnesota makes sense for both the Warriors and Wolves.
Ricky O'Donnell has covered basketball at all levels for more than a decade at SB Nation. He’s currently the Associate Director of Programming.
From the moment Russell arrived in Golden State, there was speculation about what the Warriors could trade him for. His ball dominant-style of play and lack of defensive impact was simply never going to be a perfect fit next to a healthy Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. With both stars injured, Russell has put up numbers in line with his All-Star season a year ago, but the whispers about his future with Golden State never stopped.
The Timberwolves haven’t given up on landing him just yet. The Wolves plan to “intensify their pursuit” of Russell on the trade market as the Feb. 15 deadline grows closer, according to Jon Krawczynski and Shams Charania of The Athletic. Reaching a deal in-season is going to be particularly difficult because the Warriors are hard capped, but expect rumors connecting Russell to Minnesota to continue into the summer.
There are likely going to be a lot of teams interested in Russell, a 23-year-old guard averaging 23.1 points per game on the best scoring efficiency of his career this season. While there won’t be any shortage of offers if the Warriors do decide to trade him, a potential deal with Minnesota feels like a win-win for both sides. Here’s why.
Why trading for Russell makes sense for the Timberwolves
After a strong start the season, the Timberwolves playoff chances are currently on life support. As Towns has missed a stretch of games due to injury and illness, Minnesota has slipped to 15-25 overall. The Wolves’ biggest problem has been point guard play.
After trading Jeff Teague to the Atlanta Hawks mid-season, the Wolves are certainly going to be looking to add a dynamic lead guard. Russell fits the bill perfectly. He would give the Wolves a go-to scorer on the perimeter, and also someone who could get the ball to Towns.
A Towns-Russell pairing in the two-man game would be deadly. Towns has become a historically good three-point shooter for a big man, connecting on 41.8 percent of the 8.5 attempts per game he takes from behind the arc. Russell loves operating pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop plays, which have accounted for 42 percent of his possessions in Golden State. With deep shooting range himself and a reliable floater, Russell can beat a defense himself going downhill or springing back to the three-point line, where he’s been a 37-percent shooter on more than nine attempts per game.
Taking a ton of threes is a key part of Minnesota’s philosophy under new GM Gersson Rosas and head coach Ryan Saunders. The only problem is the Wolves don’t have enough good shooters, especially in the backcourt. Minnesota attempts 39 three-pointers per game, which ranks No. 3 in the league, but only makes 32.4 percent of them, which ranks No. 29 overall. Russell’s style of play would be a seamless fit for how the team wants to play.
The other factor at play here is Russell’s relationship with Towns. The two entered the league together as the first two picks in the 2015 NBA Draft and have remained tight ever since. Towns will have four seasons left on his supermax contract after this year, and the Wolves want to make sure they can keep him happy and help him win while he’s in Minnesota.
Why a deal with the Wolves makes sense for the Warriors
What should the Warriors be looking for if they decide to deal Russell? Ideally, a big wing who can defend and shoot, plus another intriguing young player who can add athleticism to their bench. The Wolves happen to check both boxes.
Robert Covington has long been one of the league’s most underrated players. A gem from Sam Hinkie’s “Process” days with the Philadelphia 76ers, Covington is a versatile 6’9 forward who can stretch the floor with his shooting on offense while playing some of the league’s best wing defense. Covington, who just turned 29 years old, doesn’t put up huge numbers, but his impact on winning goes beyond his per-game stats.
Minnesota has other young players they can add to the deal. It’s unlikely the Wolves will want to part with Jarrett Culver, last year’s No. 6 overall pick, but Josh Okogie should be attainable for the Warriors. Okogie was the No. 20 overall pick in the 2018 draft as a super long and super athletic wing who can make plays on the defensive end. Okogie struggles to score efficiently — he’s a 38-percent shooter from the field for his career — but his 7-foot wingspan and elite explosiveness would be a welcome addition to Golden State’s bench.
The Wolves also have Gorgui Dieng to include to match salaries. While the Warriors wouldn’t love paying Dieng $17 million next season, his contract expires after the 2020-2021 season. Perhaps his expiring deal would be an asset on the trade market.
Covington and Okogie don’t have the name recognition or numbers of Russell, but they would be great fits alongside Curry, Thompson, and Draymond Green. Add in a top pick in this upcoming draft and cap space moving forward, and the Warriors are likely to again make themselves a factor in the Western Conference.
Other teams will make offers — what if the Sixers offered Al Horford and Matisse Thybulle? — but unless someone else really cashes in the farm for Russell, a deal with Minnesota might be the Warriors’ best option. A trade between these two teams would likely have to wait until the offseason due to Golden State’s current hard cap constraints, but don’t be surprised if this eventually works out.
