4 midseason trade ideas to improve the Timberwolves
By Nate Ackert
3. The Timberwolves could make a splash by landing Myles Turner
Since a recent article published in The Athletic (subscription required), trade talks surrounding the Pacers have heated up. The team has reportedly been open to trades involving Myles Turner, Domantas Sabonis, and Caris LeVert, and, adding fuel to the fire, Turner also recently expressed his unhappiness with this role in Indiana.
Given the Wolves’ obvious need for more size and skill in the frontcourt, both Sabonis and Turner make sense for the Wolves. We’ll focus on Turner here, given the existing rumors that have linked Turner to the Wolves.
The addition of Turner would immediately impact the Wolves’ defense. It would likely mean that Turner would enter the starting lineup, shifting Karl-Anthony Towns to the power forward position.
Towns is averaging careers lows in rebounding and blocks. Turner’s presence would take a lot of the defensive burden off of Towns, who has struggled his whole career with foul trouble. Plus, Turner also has the ability to space the floors as a 39.8 percent 3-point shooter, which would help free up Anthony Edwards to attack the rim.
Turner is an ideal fit for this Wolves team, though he carries the risk of only having one-and-a-half years left on his contract, meaning the Wolves may give up significant assets to acquire a player for less than two seasons.
For the Pacers, this trade fits nicely with their likely rebuild: two high-ceiling young players in McDaniels and Beasley, an expiring deal, and a pick.
Taurean Prince’s contract would also be a nice asset to acquire for a rebuild, as Prince’s $13 million contract comes off the books at the end of this season. The Pacers could use the space created by this contract to gather draft capital by taking on a bigger contract this offseason in a trade (à la Oklahoma City Thunder).
We have seen teams like the Thunder use cap space in a rebuild to gather draft capital, and this trade gives the Pacers that opportunity while also giving them quality young players and, potentially, a first-round pick.