(Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)Phoenix’s Devin Booker and Washington’s Bradley Beal are the two names bandied about the most, but while it’s true that adding a dynamite perimeter player to a star point guard and big man is the most synergistic way to build a roster, there are myriad hurdles to such a deal.Instead, let’s think outside the box. Layman and Hernangomez are solid, but Town, Russell, Collins, and Beasley all need to take something reflecting a mini-leap on that end of the floor if this team wants to make noise beyond the first round of postseason play.It’s also important to note that, at least to this point, Gersson Rosas and his front office have shown a desire to effectively play with a point guard, a big (Towns), and three versatile, switchable wings. It’s possible that they would not be interested in putting Collins, who is perhaps best used as a center, alongside Towns.The bet here is that because they’re both dynamic offensive players both in the paint and beyond the arc, the fit would work as long as the defense manages to be decent.Again, this roster would likely be capped out, and until the Wolves prove that they’re a legitimate contender, they’ll likely struggle to convince rotation-worthy veterans to join the roster for a portion of the mid-level exception, much less the veteran’s minimum.The question is, can Ryan Saunders and his staff squeeze enough defensive effort out of this roster to make it a group worth cramming the cap sheet full?If the answer is ‘yes’, then a call should be made to Atlanta the moment the draft lottery is completed on Thursday night.
Minnesota Timberwolves: John Collins is a worthy trade target The Minnesota Timberwolves should prioritize John Collins as a trade target. There could be room to keep Beasley, too, but the Wolves would essentially be capped out with a lineup like this:That is a playoff-caliber roster, pending a possible upgrade on the wing.Everyone in the rotation would be a plus 3-point shooter except for Okogie and maybe McLaughlin, although he’s at least likely to be league-average.There’s a good amount of positional flexibility; Layman would play as much at the 4 as he would at the 3, and most of the wings are interchangeable with one another depending on matchups.The biggest issue is, of course, defensively. 2 or wherever the Wolves will be picking.Swartz suggests that Atlanta could go after Anthony Edwards, who played at the University of Georgia. Why?Remember, the Wolves are in a unique position at the top of the lottery in that they already have a pair of All-Stars in place as the pillars of the franchise.
If the Wolves land one f the top two picks, this becomes a somewhat realistic possibility.Build your custom FanSided Daily email newsletter with news and analysis on Minnesota Timberwolves and all your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and more.Your privacy is safe with us. The only clear plus-defender in the rotation is Okogie. Because Atlanta Hawks big man Some credit to the idea of trading for John Collins has to be given to Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report.There are a couple of problems with this offer. His 1.8 blocks per game would be top-10 in the league if he had played enough this season to qualify; he has played only 23 games after being suspended for violating the The Wake Forest product is a developing but still below-average three-point shooter, knocking down 33.7 percent of his shots from deep.Atlanta will almost certainly want to spend the next couple of seasons monitoring the 2017 first-rounder's progress and hoping he improves at the rim while becoming a more reliable shooter from distance. With the Hawks scuffling to a 13-36 record (tied for the second-worst in the league), they need to be thinking of how to get Young more help—not subtracting his best young teammate.However, Collins could become expendable if the Hawks find a star-level natural 5. We'll never pass along your email address to spammers, scammers, or the like.Your favorite teams, topics, and players all on your favorite mobile devices.Powered by Minute Media © 2020 All Rights Reserved.Minnesota Timberwolves: D’Angelo Russell representing Wolves at lotteryThe Minnesota Timberwolves will get their own bubble