5 trades the Minnesota Timberwolves should explore
By Connor Learn
2. Zach Lavine and Shabazz Muhammad to the Detroit Pistons for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Stanley Johnson
Why this makes sense for the Timberwolves
On the most recent Ringer NBA Podcast, Chris Vernon argued that the Timberwolves would be best off trading Zach Lavine for a high level role players to fit more cleanly around Karl Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins. Lavine possesses great natural potential as a scorer, but it is unclear what other parts of his game will develop. Over the summer, the Timberwolves nearly traded Zach Lavine along with Kris Dunn to acquire Jimmy Butler, and they could be interested in trading him again.
The Timberwolves should explore the trade market for Zach Lavine. They could aim high and ask which stars are available for trade, but its unclear if any of those will materialize. It also may not make sense to pay such a high price for somebody aged above the Timberwolves main core. The Timberwolves should take two mismatched pieces of their young core—Lavine and Shabazz Muhammad—and exchange them for young players who fit better alongside Towns and Wiggins. It could be beneficial for both the short and long term development of their team.
Long term, the Minnesota Timberwolves are trying to beat the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference and win an NBA championship. The Timberwolves will bring in a long term answer at shooting guard. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is a good player and shuts down Stephen Curry better than anyone. They also add a player in Stanley Johnson who could potentially unlock lineups that can switch 1-5, which is important if they want to have a serious chance at defeating the Warriors in the future. Surely the Timberwolves have talent, but they need to have talent that fits together well.
Why this makes sense for the Pistons
At just 21-years old, Zach Lavine is proving that he has a bright future in the NBA. He is averaging 19.9 points per game on 46.4 percent shooting, including 38 percent from three. At 6-foot-5, he primarily plays the shooting guard position, but has the ball handling ability to create off the dribble. He can also do this. Lavine could very well be a future All-Star. He is the best player in this trade and gives the Pistons a real perimeter star. Shabazz Muhammad can help the Pistons bolster their second unit scoring if Stan Van Gundy can help coax his talents out.
Stanley Johnson was the seventh pick to the Pistons in last year’s draft and thus far hasn’t shown he was worthy of the selection. A 6-foot-7, 245 pound wing, Johnson has the tools to be an athletic, versatile option on the wing that teams covet. But his skills overlap with Marcus Morris and Tobias Harris and his minutes are sporadic. Recently, Johnson was suspended for a violation of team rules. He could potentially benefit from a change of scenery.
The Pistons selected Kentavious Caldwell-Pope eighth in the 2013 draft. He earned the Pistons starting shooting guard role midway through his rookie season and has improved each year in the league. Day in and day out, he shoots the ball well, averages about 14 points per game, and plays good defense. He will be in the league for a long time, but probably doesn’t emerge as a star at any point. The Pistons recently declined to give him a contract extension and could be open to moving him. The Pistons have a roster loaded with role players. It may just be time to take a shot on a potential star.