Bill Simmons from The Ringer has proposed a hypothetical trade involving the Minnesota Timberwolves, Milwaukee Bucks, and Detroit Pistons. In this three-team deal he discussed with Kevin O’Connor on his recent podcast episode, Julius Randle would be traded from the Timberwolves to the Pistons, Khris Middleton would move from the Bucks to the Timberwolves, and Tobias Harris would go from the Pistons to the Bucks.
This trade makes financial sense as the two teams over the second apron (Minnesota and Milwaukee) would reduce their salaries, while the Pistons, who have ample cap space, would acquire Randle, the highest-paid player in the transaction.
“It’s similar to a Yankee swap during Christmas,” Simmons remarked to introduce the concept. “Detroit will take on nearly eight million dollars in additional salary to supposedly upgrade from Harris to Randle, potentially for this season and possibly the next if he chooses to opt in. Minnesota would save some money and eliminate the Julius Randle dilemma that has troubled them all season, even though I believe he’s a talented player; he just doesn’t fit well with them. I find it appealing. Plus, Milwaukee would also save money.”
The question is whether this proposal is beneficial for all—or even any—of these teams. Let’s break down each one.
The Timberwolves would be parting ways with Randle, who the fan base has largely not embraced since he came over in the major Karl-Anthony Towns trade before the season. This move would allow Naz Reid to step into the starting position, assuming Middleton is brought in as their sixth man. Middleton is intriguing as a three-time All-Star, but at 33 years old, he’s also struggled with injuries lately and has a $ 34 million player option for next season.
Middleton is averaging 12.6 points, 5.1 assists, and 3.9 rebounds this season, playing 23.5 minutes per game across 18 healthy appearances. After undergoing offseason surgeries on both ankles, he hasn’t demonstrated the same level of performance he had from 2015 to 2022. Middleton has been a key second player on a championship team and performed well in last year’s playoff series against the Pacers, averaging nearly 25 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists in that six-game series, but there are legitimate concerns about whether he can return to that form following his ankle surgeries.
From a spacing perspective, a healthy Middleton would be a better fit for the Timberwolves’ roster than Randle. However, his injury history raises red flags. If Middleton decides to pick up his player option for next year, it could complicate the Wolves’ plans to keep players like Reid and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Even if Randle isn’t the best fit, it’s uncertain if Minnesota would actually go through with this trade.
The Bucks would likely be on board with the deal. At 32 years old, Harris is a comparable player to Middleton at this stage in their careers and comes at more than six million dollars less while also being more reliable in terms of durability. While he may not significantly impact the team, he would provide financial savings and serve as a solid veteran option.
As for the Pistons, they have the cap space to take on added salary, but their interest would depend on how they view Randle. As a two-time All-NBA player with better stats than Middleton and Harris while being younger, he has the potential to contribute. Although his transition to Minnesota hasn’t been seamless, Randle is averaging 18.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game and ranks second on the Wolves’ net rating. Could he complement a surprising Pistons team that is currently 23-21, aided by a standout year from guard Cade Cunningham?
Simmons believes Randle could alleviate some pressure off Cunningham, who has been fantastic but has also committed 20 turnovers in the last two games. However, O’Connor disagrees.
“I don’t want Randle clogging the lane for Cade when things are finally opening up for him and he’s looking like a borderline All-NBA player,” O’Connor stated.
In the end, while this trade idea from Simmons is entertaining, it may not make enough sense for all the teams involved.
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