Minnesota Timberwolves: 3 trades with the New York Knicks

Minnesota Timberwolves: 3 trades with the New York Knicks

3. A monster three-team trade

This would be an absolute mammoth of a trade, but it has potential for significant benefit for all three teams involved.

For the Knicks, this trade checks a lot of boxes.

First, it would help generate cap space for next year via the Johnson contract, which would generate over $16 million of cap space for 2021 free agency. Additionally, this trade brings in two Thibodeau-type players: athletic, defensive-minded wings. Not only would Okogie and Culver be a huge defensive boost for the Knicks, but they are both players that would play well alongside any All-Star the Knicks may target with their cap space.

On top of that, Culver and Okogie are both former first-round picks on rookie contracts, making them very cap-friendly. They would give up a first-round pick to the Suns, but if their objective is to build through free agency, forfeiting a first-round pick in the next two years shouldn’t be of much consequence, especially since the Wolves would compensate the Knicks with the first pick in the second round of this year’s draft.

For the Suns, this trade would only make sense if Devin Booker were to request a trade, as the Suns obviously would have no desire to trade him otherwise.

Should Booker request a trade, the Suns would not only get three first-round picks out of this trade, but they would also get some promising young talent that would fit well with their current roster. Randle would fit nicely in a lineup consisting of Ricky Rubio, Deandre Ayton, and Kelly Oubre Jr. This solid foundation paired with the plethora of picks they would receive, along with the first-round picks they already possess, would put the Suns in position for a short rebuild if any of their multitude of first-round picks were to pan out.

For the Wolves, they land their third star and create a trio of three best friends, an idea that was born from the infamous SLAM magazine interview with D’Angelo Russell, Devin Booker, and KAT. The Wolves would turn into one of the most prolific offenses in the NBA at the expense of two of their best defensive players.

Despite sacrificing draft capital and defensive talent to acquire Booker, the Wolves would ensure the happiness of their stars, and there is no doubt that young talent around the league would have an interest in joining forces with this dangerous trio of best friends.

Though the Knicks and Wolves have unique needs heading into next season, there is no denying Thibodeau’s history of negotiating with his former teams, and these trades provide options for both teams to potentially improve going forward.