Minnesota Timberwolves: 3 Potential Andrew Wiggins trades
3. Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are looking to capitalize on building a roster around Paul George and Russell Westbrook while both are still under contract and in their primes.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski has reported the Thunder are currently shopping their 21stoverall pick to shed salary and acquire veteran players to enhance their roster. This trade certainly would not accomplish the former of those goals.
However, Sam Presti, the general manager of the Oklahoma City Thunder, has a track record of taking on highly regarded players who have failed to live up to their potential early on in their respective careers. Some examples of such players include Dion Waiters, Enes Kanter, Nerlens Noel, and Dennis Schroder. Known for their player development, the Thunder staff could be exactly what Andrew Wiggins needs to unlock his full potential.
Combine all of that with the fact that Wiggins seems to always play his best each time he plays the Thunder, and it makes some sense why Oklahoma City would consider trading for him.
From a Timberwolves’ perspective, this trade makes sense for a couple of reasons. For one, starting point guard Jeff Teague battled injuries throughout last season and had a “down year”. Dennis Schroder gives the Timberwolves a starting-caliber point guard that proved this past season he can also play off-ball if Teague were to stay healthy and stay on the roster.
At only 25 years old, Schroder also more accurately fits the age of players Minnesota should target to build around Karl-Anthony Towns.
The Wolves would also receive Andre Roberson in this deal. After suffering a ruptured left patellar tendon injury midway through the 2017-2018 season, Roberson also missed the entirety of the 2018-2019 season after a series of setbacks.
However, if he were to come back healthy, Roberson’s elite perimeter defense would fit perfect with the Timberwolves’ defensive scheme and could help tremendously. Also, even if Roberson was unable to return back to the full potential he displayed before his injury, he would be an expiring contract the following season that the Timberwolves could use in a trade or could keep to free up cap space.