Another spine-tingling trade rumor has developed with ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski saying the Timberwolves are involved in talks that could bring Warriors point guard D’Angelo Russell to Minnesota.
Wojnarowski says the first move would be a three-team trade involving the Wolves, Hawks and Rockets, with Robert Covington going from Minnesota to the Rockets, Clint Capela from Houston to Atlanta, and possibly two first-round picks and an expiring contract to the Wolves.
Minnesota would then presumably use the draft picks to trade for Russell.
This is a slight development from a prior report from The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor, who late Monday night reported that the proposed deal would do the following:
- Wolves send Robert Covington to the Rockets.
- Rockets send Clint Capela to the Hawks.
- Hawks send 2020 first-round pick (Brooklyn’s pick) to the Wolves.
O’Connor said the Wolves would’ve then sent their 2020 first-round pick and the Brooklyn pick from Atlanta to the Warriors for Russell, but that trade idea was squashed by Golden State and the trade talks “were put on pause.”
So the big developement from Wojnarowski is that the three-team deal that would preced an eventual trade between the Wolves and Warriors now includes “potentially two first-round picks and an expiring contract” going to Minnesota rather than one first-round pick.
What’s more is that ESPN’s Bobby Marks suggested a possible follow-up deal could feature the Wolves sending Andrew Wiggins and multiple first-round picks to the Warriors for Russell.
We attempted a four-team deal but smoke started coming out of the trade machine. Here’s the Minnesota and Golden St. part of it. pic.twitter.com/jIeQOSl49G
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) February 4, 2020
It’s been widely reported that Golden State is in no hurry to trade Russell, which likely ups the ante the desperate Wolves have to provide to encourage the Warriors to part with the 23-year-old All-Star guard.
It should also be noted that The Athletic reported (paywall) that the Warriors had key front office members scouting the Wolves-Kings game in Sacramento Monday night.
The NBA trade deadline hits Thursday at 2 p.m. Central.
