The Minnesota Timberwolves have shown interest in Atlanta Hawks’ John Collins and Orlando Magic’s Aaron Gordon, according to Shams Charania.
The Timberwolves are looking to upgrade at the power forward position and Collins and Gordon have been considered to be available in trade talks.
Per Charania:
Minnesota has shown interest in power forwards around the league, including Atlanta’s John Collins and Orlando’s Aaron Gordon, sources said. Both players have significant asking prices in the marketplace. The Timberwolves had substantive conversations with the Magic on Gordon prior to his severe ankle sprain last month, sources said, and those talks are expected to resume as he nears his return to the floor.
Gordon, 25, who hasn’t played since Jan. 31 due to his ankle injury, is averaging 13.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game in 19 games.
He is under contract next season, as part of his four-year, $80 million deal.
Collins, 23, is set to be a restricted free agent in the offseason.
He is averaging 18.0 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.0 block per game, while shooting 53.6 percent from the field in 36 games.
The Timberwolves own the worst record in the NBA at 7-29 and have lost nine games in a row heading into the All-Star break.
The team has three players averaging at least 19 points per game including Karl-Anthony Towns (22.0), Malik Beasley (20.5) and D’Angelo Russell (19.3), while rookie Anthony Edwards (14.9 points per game) has recently shown signs of a potential breakout in the second half of the season, but injuries have plagued the team’s success this season.
Towns has only played 16 games after dealing with a wrist injury and COVID-19, while Russell has played 20 games and is currently out several weeks after having surgery to remove a loose body in his left knee.
The Timberwolves own a 2021 first round pick that’s top-three protected, so they might be content to finish low this season and keep the pick for what’s expected to be a loaded draft class next season.
