NBA Trade Deadline 2020: One trade every team should make

Milwaukee Bucks: Ersan Ilyasova, D.J. Wilson, Pacers’ top-14 protected 2020 first-rounder, own 2022 top-12 protected first-rounder for the Minnesota Timerwolves’ Robert Covington

Reason for Milwaukee: With the dogs chomping at the bit to steal Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Bucks, its officially win-now season in Milwaukee. There’s no better win-now move than adding one of the NBA’s best defenders in Covington. He can defend the league’s best wings, forces a whole whack of turnovers and shoots the ball quite well from deep. Oh yeah, and he’s drastically underpaid on a four-year deal. The Bucks could already have a championship roster, but adding Covington would help the team match up far better against either team from Los Angeles, should Milwaukee reach the Finals. If Covington is available, it will take a Godfather offer to snatch him up. Draft picks be damned, this is how Milwaukee wins.

Reason for Minnesota: Covington is the type of guy who will fit on any team, including Minnesota’s. The Wolves need players like him to surround Karl-Anthony Towns. But the team is floundering, and thus, Minnesota will receive calls for its best players. Two first-round picks should be enough to pry away anyone not named Towns. That both incoming contracts expire in two years — when Gorgui Dieng’s $16 million comes off the books — sets Minnesota up well for the star-studded bonanza free agency of 2021-22. Losing Covington is bad, but the Timberwolves could trade a murky present for a bright future.