Minnesota Timberwolves Receive: F Davis Bertans, F Reggie Bullock, 2025 First-Round Pick (Top 5 Protected – DAL)
Dallas Mavericks Receive: G D’Angelo Russell
On the other hand, every first-round pick is not created equally.
Protections impact the value of a pick. That’s something general managers jostle over in negotiations. The amount of protection on a pick impacts how valuable it is.
Of course, it depends on the team sending the pick, too. For example, we could have made this pick lottery protected, and the Timberwolves still could bite. After all, the Mavericks won’t end up in the lottery barring a Luka Doncic-related disaster.
Still, that’s the outcome the Wolves would be hoping for in acquiring a pick from Dallas.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: D’Angelo Russell, Minnesota Timberwolves & Dallas Mavericks Updates
At the same time, the Mavericks should be protecting themselves against disaster – they could get a better player than Russell for an unprotected first.
Should they send this protected one for him?