Karl-Anthony Towns and the Minnesota Timberwolves made no effort to hide that they wanted D'Angelo Russell. The Timberwolves tried to get him in free agency last summer, and they were seen as a potential trade partner the moment that Russell landed with the Golden State Warriors. In October, Towns and Russell shared the cover of SLAM with Devin Booker, and Russell said that they'd do it again "when we're all on the same team."

Booker remains in Phoenix, but Minnesota's pursuit of Russell was successful. On Thursday, the Timberwolves traded their 2021 first-round pick and second-round pick to the Warriors to unload Andrew Wiggins, take on Omari Spellman and Jacob Evans and land the point guard their franchise player wanted. In an interview with The Athletic's Jon Krawczynski, Towns sounded pleased:

"I'd be lying if I told you I thought it was possible," Towns told The Athletic on Thursday. "I'm shocked like everybody else. We've been putting it into the universe since Day 1. We've never been shy about saying it in the media or interviews or wherever it may be. If you want something to happen, you have to keep believing and keep saying it to the universe and repeating it and one day the universe will hear it and give you your wish."

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"I think with D-Lo here, it's always going to be a big incentive for me to want to stay," Towns said. "D-Lo is a big part of everything the vision is. D-Lo always knows he's going to be wanted because his brother is here with him and he always knows he's going to have his back covered because I'm always going to be there for him."

This is a marked change from Towns' despondent tone when talking the previous day about the trade that sent Robert Covington to the Houston Rockets. Minnesota is 15-35 and on a 13-game losing streak, and it hasn't won a game Towns has played in since Nov. 27, but at least he thinks the team can start steering itself in the right direction. And he gets to play with someone he considers family:

"First off we're not friends, we're brothers. That's like blood to me," Towns said. "Why I think we're going to be great, when you see the great teams in history, they always had a great big man and a great guard. I think we now have those two things set up for success."

There are a number of ways to analyze the Russell trade. From the Wolves' perspective, I didn't love it. They are making a big bet that they are going to be good next season, and the 2021 first-rounder they included was the most valuable part of the deal. Russell and Towns should complement each other pretty well offensively, but defense is a different story. As skilled as Russell is running pick-and-rolls, the Warriors have been only marginally better on offense with him on the court this season (and worse overall because the defense has been so terrible). Last year's Brooklyn Nets had identical net ratings with and without Russell on the court. None of this is damning, but it does suggest that his max contract, which will pay him $31.4 million in 2022-23, is not exactly team-friendly.

The counter-argument is that Wiggins was dragging the Wolves down, and Russell at least has the upside to play up to that contract. Russell will turn 24 this month, and he is having the most efficient season of his career despite Golden State giving him an even bigger offensive burden than Brooklyn did. (Wiggins was born exactly a year before Russell, so he also has theoretical potential, but presumably Minnesota believed he was not likely to realize it there.) Minnesota had tried to turn Wiggins into a lead playmaker, and the results were not pretty. Together, Russell and Towns will give the offense structure, and their skills mostly mesh with the identity that president Gersson Rosas and coach Ryan Saunders want the Wolves to have. (Russell's penchant for midrange jumpers could be an issue.) Now that they have two foundational players, it is up to Rosas to acquire players who give them space and minimize their defensive weaknesses. 

All of the above, however, is a basketball discussion. And whatever your views are on Russell, Wiggins and the decision to trade that 2021 pick, the most compelling argument for this move doesn't have much to do with basketball. Even though Towns is in the first season of a five-year, $190 million extension, there is risk in alienating him. It is difficult to put a price on keeping a superstar happy, but sometimes front offices have to do exactly that. There is value in changing the vibe in Minnesota and in making sure that Towns is engaged, committed and feeling good about where the team is going. For now, at least, it appears the Wolves have done that.