3 Blockbuster Timberwolves Trades to Improve Lakers

L.A. faces Minnesota in its first preseason game of the year.

Mar 10, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell (1) dribbles the ball against Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley (10) during the second quarter at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images / Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

On Friday night, the Los Angeles Lakers will "host" Minnesota Timberwolves at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert. The action tips off at 7:30 p.m. PT, via Spectrum SportsNet and NBA TV.

Los Angeles team vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka made very few meaningful transactions this summer. Granted, Pelinka did take care of some business with a pair of incumbent Lakers. He re-signed restricted free agent shooting guard Max Christie to a four-year, $32 million deal that seemed to be based on anticipated future production rather than any sustained on-court output across his first two seasons. Pelinka brought back 20-time All-NBA combo forward LeBron James to a two-year, $101.4 million deal that will take him through to a record-setting 23rd season in the league in 2025-26.

Pelinka also drafted James' son Bronny, a 19-year-old former one-and-done USC Trojans point guard, and ex-Tennessee Volunteers All-American sharpshooter Dalton Knecht. But he signed no new free agents, nor did he make any trades, despite the Lakers finishing 47-35 last year and getting ousted in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.

But the club could certainly benefit from making some moves, and though the Timberwolves may be all traded-out for now, they, too, may want to upgrade one key position most of all — although the Lakers may not love the ask.

Austin Reaves, Minimum Contract for Mike Conley Jr., Rob Dillingham, 2 First Round Draft Picks

Reaves has more future value than Conley, yes, but Conley is a terrific traditional point guard, and would instantly prove an upgrade over his former Timberwolves colleague D'Angelo Russell, who could be shifted over to a starting two-guard spot or perhaps a sixth man role. Conley is owed $10 million this year and $10.8 million in 2025-26, when he'll be turning 38. Given his age and mileage, he is a massive injury risk, but the Lakers desperately need a point guard upgrade, and Conley would represent that over Russell. Losing out on Reaves, their starting shooting guard on a team-friendly deal, would hurt, but if they could get back a pair of lightly-protected first round draft picks to refurbish their supply it could be worth the risk.

Dillingham, a 20-year-old rookie No. 8 draft pick whose rights Minnesota acquired from the San Antonio Spurs in June, is a raw-but-intriguing piece who could serve as a solid developmental project for the Timberwolves.

Then again, maybe Reaves just needs to be moved to a starting point guard role for L.A. Or a healthy Gabe Vincent steps up.

Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves, Cam Reddish for Julius Randle, 2 First Round Draft Picks

Randle, who has a player option on his $30.9 million 2025-26 salary, cannot be combined with another Minnesota player in a trade until December 1.

If Reaves — who could probably command at least double his current money on the open market today — is included in the deal, he becomes the most attractive asset. Randle may be the better player, but he could be an expiring contract if he wants to be, which tanks his value a bit in a deal like this. Again, the Lakers would be able to repair their depleted draft pick asset base if they were to ship out Reaves.

Hachimura could be Minnesota's positional replacement for Randle. Reigning Sixth Man of the Year Naz Reid, a 3-and-D big who can play either center or power forward, could either get promoted to starting alongside reigning Defensive Player of the Year Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert, or stay as a versatile sixth man behind Hachimura as the starting power forward. Hachimura, of course, is a big downgrade from Randle, but adding both Hachimura and Reaves would give the Timberwolves a massive depth improvement, so it could be seen as a rare win for both sides — assuming the Lakers can get Randle's guarantee that he would pick up that player option.

Rui Hachimura, D'Angelo Russell, 1 First Round Pick, 1 First Round Pick Swap for Julius Randle

If, however, the Lakers wanted to maximize their current on-court product, they could try to appeal to the Timberwolves' interest in building out their own future draft equity as well as their free agency flexibility (Russell is on an expiring $18.7 million deal). Russell is a solid regular season player whose warts do get fully exposed in the playoffs.

Hachimura and Russell would, on aggregate, still give the Timberwolves more depth, but of course Randle is a three-time All-Star and could immediately improve the Lakers' ceiling. Would the Timberwolves be amenable to parting with him for some future draft flexibility, Russell's guaranteed expiring money, and Hachimura's perhaps still-unseen upside?

Are all these deals insane? Perhaps somewhat, but there's a world where the moves could behoove both clubs.

Going from Karl-Anthony Towns to Rui Hachimura, D'Angelo Russell, Donte DiVincenzo, Keita Bates-Diop, two more first round picks and a swap over a single summer may not sit particularly well with the fanbase of a team fresh off its first Western Conference Finals appearance in 20 years. But that's a huge depth upgrade, and Russell's expiring money could potentially be used at the trade deadline for another major rotation piece and/or could be allowed to expire and help Minnesota get more depth that way.

More Lakers: JJ Redick Hints at All-Stars' Status For Preseason Opening Games