D'ANGELO RUSSELL DEALT FOR ANDREW WIGGINS
The Minnesota Timberwolves acquired guard D'Angelo Russell, guard/forward Jacob Evans and center/forward Omari Spellman from the Golden State Warriors for forward/guard Andrew Wiggins, a protected first-round draft pick in 2021 and a second-round draft pick in 2021.
What does it give the Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves have completely transformed their roster at the deadline this year, and bringing in Russell is the biggest move of them all. The talented point guard will join forces with franchise center Karl-Anthony Towns to provide Minnesota with a very good one-two punch on offense. Evans is a solid wing player with a little upside, while Spellman adds depth at both center and power forward. Minny had to do something major this season because they were going nowhere, so this move addresses that (even though they wound up paying a fairly steep price for Russell).
What does it give the Golden State Warriors
In Wiggins, the Warriors get a very talented player who remains rather inconsistent and enigmatic in the NBA. Perhaps moving to Golden State, with a championship coach in Steve Kerr and winners such as Draymond Green, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson around, Wiggins will be able to fully realize his potential. The Warriors will also receive a first-round pick in '21 (top-three protected) and a second-round pick in '21 as part of this deal. Russell was never going to be a long-range fit in Golden State because of Curry's presence, so the Warriors did well to get Wiggins and a first in this trade.
Fantasy impact
Russell and Wiggins should enjoy their new digs, and both will probably see their fantasy value spike after this trade. Evans is a fantasy dark horse at this point, while Spellman could see his minutes drop in Minnesota. He is not worth owning at this point.
Player focus
Golden State Warriors
a second-round draft pick in 2021
a protected first-round pick in the 2021 draft
