Since the 2021 offseason started, rumors have been continuously swirling around Andrew Wiggins and his future with the Golden State Warriors. Wiggins may have somehow shown an improvement with his performance last season, but most people still don’t see him as the player that would help Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green reclaim their thrown and revive their dynasty.
Though they aren’t actively trying to trade him right now, the Warriors are highly expected to use Wiggins as their main trade chip if one of their top targets becomes officially available on the market.
Proposed Three-Team Trade Sends Andrew Wiggins To OKC
In a recent article, Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report came up with a blockbuster trade idea that would allow the Warriors to swap Wiggins for Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns. The hypothetical deal wouldn’t only involve the Warriors and the Timberwolves, but also the Oklahoma City Thunder.
In the proposed trade scenario, the Warriors would get Towns and a 2025 second-round pick, the Thunder would receive Wiggins and two 2022 first-round picks, and the Timberwolves would acquire James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, Luguentz Dort, and a 2026 first-round pick.
Andrew Wiggins Starts New Journey With Thunder
The Thunder would be an intriguing landing spot for Wiggins. Though it wouldn’t put him closer to winning his first NBA championship title in the 2021-22 NBA season, playing for a rebuilding team like the Thunder could help Wiggins speed up his development into a legitimate superstar in the league. Compared to Golden State, Wiggins is expected to receive more playing time and a significant role on the offensive end of the floor in Oklahoma City.
If he meshes well with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder would have their own young superstar duo that would try to bring them back to the playoffs next season.
Warriors Get Their Fourth Superstar in Karl-Anthony Towns
Though it would cost them Wiggins and a boatload of precious trade assets, the suggested deal would be a no-brainer for the Warriors. The potential arrival of Towns in Golden State would fulfill their dream of adding a fourth superstar that would help Curry, Thompson, and Green carry the team next season.
Towns would significantly improve the Warriors’ performance on both ends of the floor. He would give them a very reliable scoring option under the basket, a great rebounder, on-court facilitator, rim protector, and floor-spacer. Last season, he averaged 24.8 points, 10.6 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.1 blocks while shooting 48.6 percent from the field and 38.7 percent from beyond the arc, per ESPN.
Why The Timberwolves Would Make The Trade
The Timberwolves are only expected to explore such a trade scenario if Towns is no longer interested in being the face of the franchise and expresses his desire to leave. By agreeing in the proposed three-team blockbuster, the Timberwolves would be receiving assets that they need to rebuild the team around D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards.
In exchange for Towns, the Timberwolves would receive a younger replacement for him at the starting position in Wiseman, two 2021 lottery picks in Kuminga and Moody, a promising three-and-D player in Dort, and a future first-round pick that they could use to add more talented prospects to their roster.
