If there is any saying which rings true about the NBA, it is that no team can be the Los Angeles Lakers. Not every team can hire a new coach and be in the playoff race after winning just 17 games the year before. It takes a special, handsome young coach to set something like that in motion.
That is why Minnesota Timberwolves head coach and president of basketball operations Tom Thibodeau wants to poach one part of the upstart Lakers to expedite the T-Wolves’ rebuild. According to Bleacher Report’s Ric Bucher, Thibs could try to move one of his young players for a known commodity in his system if losses keep piling up.
Classic Thibs. This April, Thibodeau was impatient in waiting for a job with the Lakers, thus joining Minnesota. Well, look how the tables have turned. With all being right in the basketball world and Minny looking up at the Lakers in the standings, Thibodeau could be looking to make a move for Los Angeles’ Luol Deng.
Thibodeau is familiar with Deng, having coached him in Chicago and turning his knees into sawdust. Deng has been seen by many as the key to the Lakers’ rebuild, barely grazing the rim on layups and getting blown-by on defense, making the young Lakers’ play look that much better by comparison, in turn boosting their confidence.
For an asset so valuable, Minnesota would have no choice other than to give up Karl-Anthony Towns. Surely in Thibs’ mind, Towns’ stellar play could be dwarfing his (soon-to-be ex?) teammates’ confidence. In this scenario, the swap would be perfect for both sides.
Here is your first look at Karl-Anthony Towns in a Lakers jersey.
Now the second best player in the 2015 NBA Draft will get to play alongside the class’ best, D’Angelo Russell.
(This article is based purely on speculation.)
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