1. Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves have shown that they can be a solid team when at full strength. They have battled throughout the season and look like they will remain in the thick of things to the very end, as they are only two games behind the fifth-place Dallas Mavericks.
The Timberwolves have a strong core with Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards and D’Angelo Russell, but the one area they could use some help is at power forward. They were connected to the Atlanta Hawks before the season and should show some interest again.
John Collins and Danilo Gallinari were both linked to the Timberwolves then and would still make for good targets. Collins, more so, because he is not as much of a liability defensively as Gallinari is.
Collins’s two-way skill set would help take pressure off the other players in Minnesota’s starting five. Some of Towns’ shortcomings defensively can be covered up by Collins. Offensively, while he may be third or fourth in the pecking order, he should still find some opportunities as four different players average at least 12 shots per game this season for the Timberwolves.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Hawks’ John Collins ‘Frustrated’ With Role — Trade Coming?
The other reason that Collins makes for a better fit than Gallinari is his age. At 23-years old, Collins fits perfectly into the timeline the Timberwolves have, as he can grow right alongside Towns, Edwards and Russell, who are all 26-years of age or younger.
