Veteran wing Evan Turner was among the multitude of trade deadline acquisitions by the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday, but the former member of the Atlanta Hawks may seek a buyout in order to play with a contender. The Timberwolves, at 15-35, and despite adding All-Star point guard D'Angelo Russell to pair with his former 2015 NBA Draft classmate Karl-Anthony Towns, don't appear to be a competitive team in the Western Conference this season.
According to The Athletic's Jon Krawczynski, Turner, 31, did not attend Friday's Wolves press conference introducing the newly acquired players, like Russell and Denver Nuggets wings Malik Beasley and Juancho Hernangomez, and “both sides” are discussing a buyout for the vet.
Evan Turner did not attend Wolves press conference today. Both sides discussing a buyout. Wolves are going young. The vet Turner would like to play for a contender, so the options are being explored.
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) February 7, 2020
Turner, a former second-overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2010 out of Ohio State, spent the first six seasons of his professional tenure in the Eastern Conference before signing a four-year deal with the Portland Trail Blazers in the summer of 2016. Prior to the fourth, and last, year of the $70 million contract, the versatile guard and forward was traded to the Hawks in the past offseason for Kent Bazemore.
Turner was traded again on Wednesday ahead of this week's deadline to the Timberwolves in the four-team deal involving Clint Capela of the Houston Rockets and Minnesota's Robert Covington, with the former sent to Atlanta and the latter landing in Houston.
A ten-year NBA vet, Turner has appeared in the playoffs on eight separate occasions, and should he agree to a buyout with the Timberwolves, the 6-foot-6 wing could be a valuable depth piece for a competitive, postseason-bound club.
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