D’Angelo Russell may have just signed a new contract with the Golden State Warriors, but his name continues to surface in various trade rumors. Though he can somewhat fill the hole Kevin Durant left on the offensive end of the floor, Russell is clearly an unusual fit on a Warriors team that has Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson in their backcourt. Once Thompson fully recovers from his injury and regains his All-Star form, the Warriors are expected to trade Russell for quality veterans that could boost their chance of reclaiming the NBA championship title in the 2019-20 NBA season.
According to Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report , the Minnesota Timberwolves are one of the NBA teams who are expected to express strong interest in trading for Russell. The Timberwolves have long been interested in adding Russell to their roster. Before the 2019 NBA free agency period started, the face of the franchise, Karl-Anthony Towns, publicly stated his desire of playing alongside Russell in Minnesota.
The Timberwolves may have failed to acquire D’Angelo Russell in the free agency, but once he becomes available on the trade market, they are expected to immediately make a call to the Warriors. In the proposed trade from Bleacher Report , the Timberwolves will be sending Robert Covington and Jeff Teague to the Timberwolves in exchange for Russell. Though the deal works financially, the Warriors and the Timberwolves will still be needing to wait until mid-December to push through with the trade since Russell just signed a new contract this summer.
“You got guys that can shoot, dribble, and play-make for others: that’s a dangerous combo.” https://t.co/rISsqrcvZm
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) August 4, 2019
If the trade becomes a reality, it will definitely help the Warriors and the Timberwolves in filling up the needs to improve on their roster. Russell would give the Timberwolves an All-Star caliber point guard who fits the timeline of Karl-Anthony Towns. Russell and Towns built a good relationship even before they set foot in the NBA and they are both aware of each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
“Minnesota would get the point guard it was after all along. Losing Covington and his below-market contract isn’t ideal, but a long-term pick-and-roll combo of Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns would be a nightmare to defend. The Wolves may rather ship out Wiggins for Russell, and I’d sure love to write about the Warriors potentially salvaging his career. But that one just feels too far-fetched.”
Meanwhile, in exchange for Russell, the Warriors would acquire two veteran role players in Robert Covington and Jeff Teague. Covington would give the Warriors a defensive-minded wingman who can efficiently knock down shots from beyond the arc, while Teague would be a reliable backup for Stephen Curry. Teague could also temporarily serve as Curry’s backcourt partner while Klay Thompson is recovering from an injury.
