2019-20 NBA Trade Deadline: Wolves Overhaul the Roster

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

There is finally light at the end of the tunnel. In one of the most active NBA trade deadlines that I can personally recall, the Minnesota Timberwolves did the unthinkable -- the unimaginable! Andrew Wiggins was dealt along with a top-three protected first-round pick in 2021 and a second-round pick in 2021 for D'Angelo Russell, Jacob Evans, and Omari Spellman. Rejoice. Euphoria. Unequivocal glee!

This franchise was dead. From ownership to the front office to the roster to the fan base, this franchise was drowning any way you dissect it. Losing streaks of 11 and 13 (active) games for the team -- as well as 17 games for Karl-Anthony Towns -- were clear signs that something significant needed to happen. In the mind of Gersson Rosas, that something was clearly a huge roster overhaul. Nine players were moved in order to bring in eight fresh faces. There is new blood percolating on the team. Only Towns and Josh Okogie remain from the previous regimes. These new players feel like a complete rebirth for the entire franchise.

So, how do I feel about the moves that were made?

Even with my time away from the board, my stance on Russell was well-known even going back to trade discussions surrounding Jimmy Butler when I suggested him as a potential target. This team has been in need of a scoring punch at lead guard for decades. That is even more true when you factor in the high-paced, analytically-driven style of basketball that Rosas wants to build around.

Russell is at his best in pick-and-roll action (0.89 PPP; better than Ja Morant, Jimmy Butler, De'Aaron Fox, and Russell Westbrook), working off screens (41% from three), dribble handoffs (36% from three), and in isolation (1.03 PPP in isolation; better than Luka Doncic, Bradley Beal, Trae Young, and Chris Paul). What's also exciting is that he has never played with another scorer as gifted as Towns. Those two should be a very difficult pairing to slow down on a nightly basis and I think you can build around them to create an annual winner -- something unknown to Wolves fans.

Russell is also on pace to be just the 11th player in NBA history to average 23 PPG and 6 APG in a season by age 23.? He's one of 12 players in NBA history to have career totals of at least 5,000 points and 1,500 assists by age 23.? Additionally, he's the only player in NBA history with 700 3PM by age 23.? What he's done in the league offensively to this point is nothing short of impressive.

Lastly, Russell is just one of five players this season averaging at least 23.0+ PPG, 6.0+ APG, and 9.0+ 3PA. The other four are James Harden, Damian Lillard, Luka Doncic, and Trae Young. Russell is clearly in an elite group of shot-creating guards. That much cannot be debated.

Seven other players were acquired this past week, as you all know. I wasn't thrilled with all of the deals that brought them in, however. The Robert Covington trade felt messy at the time and looks even sloppier in hindsight knowing the price for Russell had nothing to do with the return of moving Covington. It's even more puzzling of a deal when you consider his potential fit with the new nucleus at his salary. That may not have mattered to Rosas, though, if part of the goal in an overhaul was to get much younger and perhaps more athletic.

However, I see legitimate promise in a few of the players that were acquired. The ones I'm choosing to highlight are Malik Beasley and Omari Spellman.

Beasley's probably the main piece in the deal for Covington and one could assess that Minnesota essentially swapped the Houston Rockets' first-round pick in 2020 for him. Assuming that pick is in the late 20's, I can live with that price despite understanding that he's also a restricted free agent. Beasley's had a bit of an up and down career to this point with his 2018-19 season being his only positive campaign to date. It was also his only fully healthy season to date as well. At his best, he's an efficient three-point shooting gunner who is a big threat in transition and capable of making some "wow" plays athletically. Beasley just turned 23-years old in November and I have to believe Rosas is hoping that increased opportunity will result in something close to the version of Beasley that Denver started for 18 games last season -- 15.9 PPG (55.1% FG, 50% 3P on 6.0 3PA, 93.8 FT%), 2.6 RPG, 1.6 APG, and a +5.8 in 31.6 MPG. I also think he should be in the starting lineup for the rest of this season in order to see if he can thrive in that role for longer than a couple weeks. Where I am cautious most pertaining to Beasley is how much he'll be retained for this summer. Multiple teams drained their cap space at the deadline taking back big salary -- Atlanta, Memphis for example -- so that should help somewhat. Ideally, Rosas is able to re-sign Beasley at something like four-years, $40-million with Josh Richardson's 4/42 deal setting precedent.

I also liked getting Spellman as a flyer in the Russell trade. This is a big-bodied (6'8, 245 lbs), very athletic big averaging 15.0 PPG and 8.9 RPG per-36 who's also shooting 39.1% from three in a limited role. The guy is an absolute bruiser inside. It would appear that a lot of what made him good at Villanova has translated to the NBA level albeit in a very limited role. It would behoove the Wolves to give him some legitimate burn for the rest of the season to see what he's capable of.

To conclude this absurdly long memo, I'm much happier with the way the roster looks today than I was last week. I think the Wolves got younger, more athletic, more flexible, more cost-controlled, more skilled, and overall just better moving forward. I would also be surprised if Rosas doesn't attempt to make another big splash around this summer's draft. Perhaps he'll make a run at Devin Booker to complete the trifecta of that popular SLAM Magazine cover. At worst, there is newfound excitement surrounding this franchise and surely some very fun basketball to be seen.

[60WinTim]

Great post, Cam! I am completely on board.

I will add one more observation on the Covington deal. In addition to the age and knee concerns and the desire to acquire of Beasley, the addition of the Nets 1st round pick is a sneaky good acquisition for potential flexibility leading up to the draft. Without it the Wolves would not be able to use a first round pick in any trade, which is usually a requirement in any attempt to trade for another star player. And we know Rosas preaches "you win with star players". That pick gives him more ammo for that endeavor, along with other young assets he has acquired.

[Papalrep]

This franchise was dead. From ownership to the front office to the roster to the fan base, this franchise was drowning any way you dissect it.

OPTIMISM! Let's have some! I loved the activity, for the simple reason Cam stated. We were dead.
Cam, what is the plan to bring in Booker?

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

Great post, Cam! I am completely on board.

I will add one more observation on the Covington deal. In addition to the age and knee concerns and the desire to acquire of Beasley, the addition of the Nets 1st round pick is a sneaky good acquisition for potential flexibility leading up to the draft. Without it the Wolves would not be able to use a first round pick in any trade, which is usually a requirement in any attempt to trade for another star player. And we know Rosas preaches "you win with star players". That pick gives him more ammo for that endeavor, along with other young assets he has acquired.

We missed you here Tim. Yeah, things were really bad. I agree that this trade hits the reset button on the season and deserves intrigue. I am interested for sure. I'm not necessarily bullish however. I'm not sure this team can defend anyone.

[AbeVigodaLive]

I think Trevor Booker is imminently gettable.

[kekgeek]

https://twitter.com/DaneMooreNBA/status/1225843522458267648?s=19

People are excited at least

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

Good stuff Cam. I am not as bullish as you are, but realized that something had to be done a couple weeks ago, even if that meant bringing DLO in, who I am not totally enthralled with.

Interesting that you are calling out Spellman when it feels like we may have a higher ceiling, younger version of him in Naz Reid.

[60WinTim]

Great post, Cam! I am completely on board.

I will add one more observation on the Covington deal. In addition to the age and knee concerns and the desire to acquire of Beasley, the addition of the Nets 1st round pick is a sneaky good acquisition for potential flexibility leading up to the draft. Without it the Wolves would not be able to use a first round pick in any trade, which is usually a requirement in any attempt to trade for another star player. And we know Rosas preaches "you win with star players". That pick gives him more ammo for that endeavor, along with other young assets he has acquired.

We missed you here Tim. Yeah, things were really bad. I agree that this trade hits the reset button on the season and deserves intrigue. I am interested for sure. I'm not necessarily bullish however. I'm not sure this team can defend anyone.

Yeah, I had been really down on them. While the questions on Saunders are still there, the Wiggins removal is so uplifting! And while defense is a concern, just how much worse could it get?!? :)

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

I think Trevor Booker is imminently gettable.

How though, without giving up either DLO or KAT? I can't believe Phoenix would give him up for a pick or two in a weak 2020 draft + piece parts like Okogie, etc. I just don't think we have enough ammo outside of the two guys Rosas is already trying to build around.

[60WinTim]

I think Trevor Booker is imminently gettable.

How though, without giving up either DLO or KAT? I can't believe Phoenix would give him up for a pick or two in a weak 2020 draft + piece parts like Okogie, etc. I just don't think we have enough ammo outside of the two guys Rosas is already trying to build around.

It's unclear to me who is pulling who's leg...