Minnesota Timberwolves Receive: Trae Young
Atlanta Hawks Receive: Karl-Anthony Towns, a 2026 first-round pick swap and a 2029 first-round pick swap
In the summer of 2022, the Timberwolves and Atlanta Hawks both made against-the-grain trades that crowded one end of their starting lineups.
Atlanta added Dejounte Murray to a backcourt that already featured Trae Young. Minnesota dropped Gobert into a frontcourt that already had Towns.
Obviously, the T'Wolves found a little more success with their lineup experiment, but the fits haven't been perfect in either location. And now, they have an opportunity to help each other find a little balance.
Young has been in trade rumors for months, and though his offense-first game would potentially shift Minnesota's identity, he's far more productive and 11 years younger than the Wolves' current starting point guard, Mike Conley.
There would certainly be a bit of an adjustment period with Young and Anthony Edwards, whose on-ball prowess has developed over the course of this campaign, but they're a more natural fit than Murray and Young. And Trae's playmaking, particularly as a pick-and-roll ball-handler and lob passer, would instantly make life easier for Gobert.
For Atlanta, this deal could bring help with draft assets, since Trae is three years younger than Towns, and since quarterbacks typically have a little more value than receivers. And again, it restores a little balance to the starting five.
Another trade involving Clint Capela or Onyeka Okongwu might be necessary, but Murray and Towns could be the basis of a solid inside-out attack. And surrounding those two with shooting from Bogdan Bogdanović and Jalen Johnson would obviously help.
Figuring out the defense could take some time, but the Hawks weren't exactly locking people down with Trae either.
