The Minnesota Timberwolves proved the old adage that persistence does pay off in the end.
Per Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, the Timberwolves practically pestered the Golden State Warriors all season to trade All-Star guard D'Angelo Russell.
Following a breakout season for the Brooklyn Nets in 2018-19, Russell — who was a free agent in the summer of 2019 — became a hot commodity for multiple NBA teams. But it was the Dubs who won the D'Lo sweepstakes, as he began the 2019-20 campaign in a Warriors jersey.
The Timberwolves brass have reportedly courted the Dubs for a trade package for the former Ohio State Buckeye even before the trade deadline back in February. However, Minnesota's Executive VP for Basketball Operations, Sachin Gupta, often flashed a cerebral and sometimes dispassionate approach which reportedly derailed those trade efforts.
Hell-bent on trying to team up their superstar Karl-Anthony Towns with his good friend D'Angelo Russell, Minnesota aggressively sought out that deal once the Warriors officially put the lefty guard on the trading block.
Minny offered a nice haul that includes former top overall pick Andrew Wiggins, along with a 2021 first round draft pick (top 3 protected), and a 2021 second round draft pick. In return, the Dubs let go of the coveted Russell along with Jacob Evans III and Omari Spellman.
The Timberwolves seemed extremely pleased with the trade, as they got their guy and managed to unload a disappointing player in the process. Russell's arrival was also Minny's bid to keep KAT happy after earlier reports swirled that he was dissatisfied with his current situation in the Twin Cities.
D’Lo was as good as advertised in his first 12 games in Minneapolis, notching 21.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 1.4 steals. The Timberwolves finished with a putrid 19-45 slate and weren't even invited to the bubble in Orlando.
However, with D'Lo getting more comfortable with his new team and KAT healthy, the team can certainly do some damage next season.
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