Around the NBA in 15 trades: Day 4, Hornets and Timberwolves
In the lead up to the Feb. 8 trade deadline, we’re taking all 30 teams and finding mutually beneficial partners. Every day will offer up a new deal with two new consorts. It’s kinda like the 12 days of Christmas, but instead of hens-a-laying and pear trees and other useless nonsense from your true love, you’re getting fake trades from me for a much higher holy day: the NBA trade deadline. Strap in tight, it’s trading season!
The Hornets are going nowhere fast. After making the playoffs two seasons ago, they projected to be the 5-seed this year. Some would say their downturn stems from a smattering of health issues, which includes their tactile coach, Steve Clifford. The more enlightened among us would directly point to the Dwightbola virus slowly infecting the locker room with bad jokes, farts, and, probably, bad fart jokes.
The last time the Timberwolves made the playoffs was 2003-04. As a touchstone for some perspective, that was the year Mean Girls came out in theaters and this banger headlined every high school dance in the country. Minnesota needs as many battle-tested guys as possible to make waves in the West.
Why the Hornets do it:
Charlotte has a lot of undesirable contracts and recently came to grips with how bad they are. They know they need to use Kemba Walker as a trade chip to clear the decks. (I’d like the record to show I had this fake trade queued up before that news broke on Friday.) Getting out of Nic Batum’s massive deal would go a long way in freeing up cap space.
Having said that, Charlotte isn’t exactly a hotbed of allurement to top-tier free agents. While Andrew Wiggins may never be a superstar, blossoming into a super second-banana is in play. Starting next season, his contract blows up like Violet Beauregarde, but at least he’s a high-pedigreed player locked into a long-term deal. He’s disappointed in living up to expectations in three and a half seasons thus far, but he hasn’t even turned 23 yet.
Cole Aldrich and Nemanja Bjelica are salary flotsam on short and manageable contracts. Justin Patton entices as a rookie project center out of Creighton University. He brings the possibility of becoming a useful player with three more years of cheap, team control.
Why the Timberwolves do it:
The three additional seasons left on Batum’s deal are looking like a bad investment. His numbers and shooting are less than stellar as he’s fought through injuries this year. However, having him as a fourth scoring option with more of a defensive focus is what propelled his career in the first place.
Add in the boost of a veteran going from a hopeless situation onto a team a level below the Warriors and Rockets shouldn’t be underestimated. His raw numbers would probably remain static, but his efficiency and effect on the court would surge. The same can be said for Marvin Williams. Even in a down year, Williams’ ability to stretch the floor would be a nice alternative option to Taj Gibson at power forward.
Jeff Teague, from a bird’s eye view, is fine. He’s the yellow line in the middle of the point guard highway. His stats and physical characteristics embody the platonic ideal of the average point guard. He is the benchmark to whom all other floor generals are measured.
In the bloodbath of the Western Conference playoff bracket, every little advantage matters. Fine won’t cut it. Going from Teague to Walker would upgrade the Timberwolves’ point guard situation from top-15 to top-8.
Next: Around the NBA in 15 trades: Day 3, Grizzlies and Lakers
The former college champion would give Minnesota another dynamic playmaker to open up the offense and take pressure off Jimmy Butler. Walker is a known big shot taker and big shot maker. Having someone of his caliber could make all the difference when trying to hold serve against the likes of Steph Curry or the James Harden/Chris Paul duo. Walker may be small in stature, but he’d give the Wolves better ammunition for toppling any prospective Goliaths.