Timberwolves Trade PG D'Angelo Russell at Trade Deadline

This is really weird to be writing this three years to the day after I rejoiced in announcing the Wolves brought DLo to Minnesota.

Today the Minnesota Timberwolves were involved in a 3-team trade that sends G D'Angelo Russell to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Wolves will receive G Mike Conley Jr, 3 2nd round picks (2023, 2025, 2027) as well as G Nickeil Alexander-Walker. The Jazz will receive Russell Westbrook, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Damian Jones, and a 2027 top-four protected first round pick. The Lakers, along with Russell, will receive former Wolves Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt. 

DLo hasn't had a chart topping season in 2022-23, but has been shooting well since early December. Since December 3rd, he has averaged 20.3 points/game, shot 66.8% from the field, and 42.9% from 3 point land. Mike Conley is averaging 10.7 points/game this year, and shoots 40.8% from the field and 36.2% from 3 point. The real reason the Wolves made this trade is because it seems PoBO Tim Connelly did not want to extend D'Angelo Russell, and since he becomes a free agent this summer, he decided to trade him rather then let him walk. So the team receives an aging veteran point guard in Mike Conley who has one year left of team control on his contract and his salary is only partially guaranteed for next season. While the Wolves will lose Russell's offensive ability, they will gain Conley's experience, particularly in the playoffs. Mike Conley has played some 72+ games in the playoffs over his 15 year career in the NBA.

D'Angelo Russell will be missed by many fans in Minnesota, since many credit him with helping to change the culture not only in the Timberwolves organization, but with the fans at Target Center. It was Russell who prompted the fans to stand at the beginning of games until the team scores, and got them loud at big moments. He was never an All-Star with the Wolves, but was often a scoring favorite for fans. Trading for him back in 2020 was a move that got some Minnesota fans up out of their chairs since it seemed the franchise was willing to try and build some chemistry around their All-Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns. Now that the friendship there is gone, I am curious to see where Towns' loyalty lies. Will he want to join back up with his best friend in the coming summers wherever he should land after this season? We shall see if this makes a difference at all, as after all this is a business. 

Minnesota will now wait in earnest for Towns to return from his calf injury that has kept him off the court for much of the season. The latest from Wolves PR has him coming back right after the All-Star Break. 

While I haven't done much updating in Wolves land this year, that will start to change after the All-Star Break since the stretch run will be upon us. It will be do or die for this team, as I would hope they want to climb out of the Play-In Tournament. 

So long, DLo.
#RaisedByWolves