Lakers trade rumors: New trade targets for LA after 2019 offseason news
By Jason Reed
Taj Gibson — Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves have a dangerous young core that has the potential to be very good for a very long time. Karl-Anthony Towns is a franchise superstar and should be the face of Minnesota for many years. Andrew Wiggins is a promising young player with all-star potential and Jimmy Butler is the established star two-way player to serve a leadership role.
With such a star-studded cast, the Timberwolves were unable to find a truly solid starting power forward. Minnesota went out and signed veteran Taj Gibson to a two-year, While Gibson has not been bad for the Minnesota Timberwolves, he certainly has not been lighting up the score sheets, either.
Gibson is averaging 12.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per game this season; again, solid. However, this should not stop the Timberwolves from seeking an upgrade.
I would argue that Julius Randle is an upgrade.
Randle has double-double potential when he is constantly in the lineup and has excelled in reduced minutes this season. Randle is averaging 14.0 points and 7.3 rebounds per game in ten fewer minutes played per game than Gibson.
With those ten minutes, Randle becomes a nightly double-double guy and the Lakers get cap space for the summer of 2019. Although Randle will be off the books anyway, the Lakers can also free up extra cap in Jordan Clarkson by adding the Timberwolves’ 2019 first-round pick in the mix (when the draft rights are settled).