The Boston Celtics could capitalize on an opportunity to once again draft at the top of the NBA Draft after playing in the Eastern Conference finals via a deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Recent reports that the Minnesota Timberwolves may be looking to deal the #1 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft could benefit teams with bloated payrolls looking to move big contracts for cost-controlled ones…aka teams like the Boston Celtics.
After all, Danny Ainge does have success drafting at the top of the lottery. Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Marcus Smart were all top six picks!
Anyway, Bleacher Report’s Adam Wells aggregated Kevin O’Connor’s comments to help piece together just why Minnesota would consider such a deal:
"Executives around the NBA believe the T-Wolves “prefer to trade down or out of this pick to bring in a win-now player to help Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell.” Despite posting a 19-45 record last season, Minnesota’s roster is constructed in such a way that it needs to compete now. The Timberwolves made a big splash at the trade deadline in February by acquiring D’Angelo Russell from the Golden State Warriors to pair with Karl-Anthony Towns. That duo was only able to play one game together due to a wrist injury that sidelined Towns until the team’s season ended on March 10. Minnesota has a reasonable payroll for 2020-21 with $96 million on the books, assuming James Johnson exercises his $15.83 million player option. That can give the organization some flexibility to add a quality veteran player making a fairly large salary."
Wells is spot on. The Timberwolves, owner one of the league’s third-worst record, are somehow in need of players that will help them win now. Luckily they are led by…one-time playoff veterans D’Angelo Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns, winners of…*checks notes*…two playoff games between the two of them.
Regardless of the Timberwolves’ likely ill-fated plans to compete in 2020-21–which will really only take place in the calendar year of 2021–the Boston Celtics can still find synergies as a trade partner.
Here are 2 deals the Houdini believes the Cs should consider for the #1 overall pick in 2020: