With the NBA trade deadline only hours away, big moves are still being made and the Golden State Warriors just made one for the future. While there have been rumors of D’Angelo Russell only being a trade piece since he arrived, they have moved on from him and traded him to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Andrew Wiggins and draft picks.
The Warriors will be sending Jacob Evans and Omari Spellman, while Golden State gets a 2021 protected first-round pick and a 2022 second-round pick in return.
Golden State has agreed to trade D'Angelo Russell to Minnesota for a deal that includes Andrew Wiggins, a 2021 protected first-round pick and a 2022 second-round pick, league sources tell ESPN. Warriors will send Jacob Evans and Omari Spellman to Timberwolves too.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 6, 2020
Timberwolves 2021 pick protected to No. 3, and becomes unprotected in 2022, per sources. Minnesota kept pushing for Russell, who it has wanted since summer free agency and finally got the point guard Gerssson Rosas imagined pairing with KAT. https://t.co/kfDNvsdBHX
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 6, 2020
Clarification: Minnesota's second-round pick going to Golden State is in 2021 — not 2022.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 6, 2020
The Warriors clearly believe that bringing Andrew Wiggins into a winning environment — something he has really never experienced — will take him to a new level. They will face no shortage of skepticism …
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 6, 2020
This deal pairs D-Lo with best friend Karl-Anthony Towns and frees the Wolves from Andrew Wiggins, who has underachieved since he came into the league.
Golden State is now prepared to have a high first round draft pick this year (plus more next year), with a myriad of second round draft picks in the arsenal that they can either keep or flip for another first rounder. With the Splash Brothers returning next season to full strength, the Warriors can load up on young talent to learn from and possibly be set up for years to come.