NBA Trade Deadline 2015: Timberwolves Trade Mo Williams
Feb 4, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard
Mo Williams(25) looks to pass as he loses his balance while playing the Miami Heat in the first quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
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Apparently we posted our preview of the trade deadline just in time.
One day after I speculated that the Minnesota Timberwolves may look to move Mo Williams they have done just that. Williams, along with Troy Daniels and a bundle of cash, will join the Charlotte Hornets. In return, the Wolves picked up Gary Neal and a second round pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.
This certainly was not a move made in order to make the Wolves more competitive for the rest of the season, although Neal is a proven NBA player. Of Neal, Flip Saunders said:
"“In moving Mo, we felt it was important to get a proven scorer and 3-point shooter like Gary. Gary was a solid rotation player with San Antonio for three years and an important contributor in the Spurs’ playoff runs. We also get a second-round pick, which is another future asset for us.”"
That pretty much sums it up for the Wolves on their side of the deal. The other thing the move did was open up a roster spot, which Saunders promptly filled. He traded a lottery-protected 2017 pick to the Atlanta Hawks for Adreian Payne. For those unfamiliar, Payne was the number 15 pick in this past year’s NBA Draft out of Michigan State. He hardly saw the floor for the extremely deep Hawks and spent some time in the D-League. While not a proven NBA commodity, he provides athleticism and upside. Of Payne, Saunders said:
"“We are extremely excited to welcome Adreian to Minnesota. Adreian fits the mold of a young, athletic and talented player who we believe will fit in well with our young and talented core. We’ve liked him for a while and look forward to seeing him grow with us in a Wolves uniform.”"
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In my opinion, these two moves will largely hinge on Payne. Williams was not long for Minnesota anyway, so moving him made sense. Neal will counteract Williams’ absence shooting-wise this season, but I don’t expect him to be around for long either. Daniels never got much of a chance here in Minnesota so it’s difficult to say what we are giving up there. If Payne cannot eventually become a valuable rotation player, a possible first round pick could prove to be a steep price. On the other hand, if he can mesh with the bevy of youth already on board and develop into a true NBA player this trade may look very good for the Wolves in the years to come.
Only time will tell.