Minnesota Timberwolves Receive: F/C Al Horford, G Payton Pritchard
Boston Celtics Receive: G D’Angelo Russell
Recently, rumors have suggested that the Minnesota Timberwolves are seeking a rim-protecting big man to pair with Karl-Anthony Towns. Presumably, they’d be shifting Towns to the four in an effort to improve their defense.
That’s logical enough. Towns is a tremendous offensive talent. He’ll be able to thrive at the four, and having a rim protector on this roster would ease his defensive burden. The Timberwolves have been linked to guys like Rudy Gobert and Clint Capela?
Why not Al Horford?
Granted, Horford doesn’t have the same sheer size as those two do. Counterpoint: who cares? Unlike either of Gobert or Capela, he spaces the floor, allowing the Timberwolves to routinely run five-out spacing. Furthermore, he’s a more versatile defender than either, and probably at least as strong a rim protector as Capela.
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If the Minnesota Timberwolves need to beef up their interior defense, Horford is a solid choice. Meanwhile, D’Angelo Russell upgrades the Boston Celtics’ point guard play. This trade could be a win-win that either side could explore this summer.