How lopsided was Timberwolves trade of Wiggins for D’Angelo Russell?

In February 2020, the Minnesota Timberwolves traded Andrew Wiggins, a Top-3 protected 2021 first-round pick, and a 2021 second-round to shed a hefty contract and acquire D’Angelo Russell, Jacob Evans, and Omari Spellman.  At the time, the sentiment concluded that the Timberwolves had masterfully dumped an overpaid Andrew Wiggins and upgraded with proven veteran D’Lo.

In January 2021, history was rewritten, and NBCSports Bay Area Warriors declared the exchange a fleecing by the Warriors. At the time of the trade, Andrew Wiggins was a high-volume shooter who struggled to score from three-point range, was not a particularly good defender, and was handsomely paid for his underwhelming performance.

An all-time heist.

The Warriors’ fleecing of the T-Wolves in the Andrew Wiggins trade is becoming more obvious by the day (via @Schrock_And_Awe)https://t.co/5G3RSpDAQ7 pic.twitter.com/2CsbWFhEM9

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) January 12, 2021

So what exactly was the trade?

One Timberwolves trade that we are still talking about

Well, for starters, it was one of the multiple trades that the Minnesota Timberwolves made before the trade deadline that year. And like any multi-step process, you get a pretty bleak picture of focusing upon just one step in that process. That is because it is all taken out of context.

The Warriors have acquired Andrew Wiggins, a 2021 first-round draft pick (top 3 protected), and a 2021 second-round draft pick from the Timberwolves in exchange for Jacob Evans III, D’Angelo Russell, and Omari Spellman. pic.twitter.com/ozBrDQJTcc

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) February 6, 2020

On paper, it looked like this:

Timberwolves Get

D’Angelo Russell

Jacob Evans III

Omari Spellman

Warriors Get

Andrew Wiggins

2021 MIN 1st rd pick (Top 3 prot)

2021 MIN 2nd rd pick

Did the Timberwolves pay a premium? If so, why? Well, to understand that, we need to go back to where the Minnesota Timberwolves were at the time of the trade. Well, trades, to be more accurate.

Let’s revisit the scenario once more, shall we? At the time of the trade, a less costly D’Angelo Russell was averaging a career-high 23.6 points along with 6.2 assists and 3.7 rebounds. The more costly Andrew Wiggins, who never fulfilled the hopes of being selected first in the 2014 NBA Draft, was averaging 22.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists.