Suns at Timberwolves
The Phoenix Suns are battling for the No. 8 spot in the Western Conference with less than two months left in the regular season but picked now to move in a different direction. The Suns will begin life after Goran Dragic and Isaiah Thomas when they visit the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday. Phoenix dealt the two point guards away on Thursday in a flurry of activity in front of the NBA trade deadline, leaving it with a very different look.
Part of the reason for Dragic’s reported unhappiness was that the addition of Thomas had contributed to turning him into a corner jump shooter instead of the point guard who made third team All-NBA last season. Dragic’s representatives informed the team earlier in the week that their client had no intention of re-signing with the team as a free agent this offseason, paving the way for a multi-team trade that sent Dragic to the Heat and brought back Danny Granger, Justin Hamilton, John Salmons and a pair of first-round draft picks. The Timberwolves made their own splash at the deadline, bringing former star Kevin Garnett back to Minnesota in exchange for Thaddeus Young.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona (Phoenix), FSN North (Minnesota)
ABOUT THE SUNS (29-25): The NBA shuffled point guards all over the landscape on Thursday and Phoenix was right in the middle of most of the action. In addition to sending away Thomas to the Celtics in exchange for veteran shooting guard Marcus Thornton and a draft pick, the Suns were involved in a three-team trade that brought in point guard Brandon Knight from the Milwaukee Bucks while shipping away center Miles Plumlee and point guard Tyler Ennis. Knight will likely occupy the spot next to Eric Bledsoe in the backcourt while Alex Len will see an increase in minutes on the interior and Thornton will head into the corner that Dragic didn’t want.
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (11-42): Minnesota has no shot at a playoff spot but is staring at a bright future led by No. 1 overall pick Andrew Wiggins. Bringing Garnett back not only gives the fans a reason to come out and watch a team that is 31 games under .500 but he provides some veteran, championship experience to the likes of Wiggins and Anthony Bennett as a person who once upon a time helped build the Timberwolves from a lottery team to a perennial playoff contender. Getting rid of Young also opens more time for second-year forward Shabazz Muhammad, who thrived in a starting role when Young was injured earlier in the season.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Muhammad is averaging 15.6 points in 13 games as a starter, up from 12.6 as a reserve.
2. Timberwolves G Kevin Martin scored at least 21 points in three straight games prior to the All-Star break.
3. Phoenix has taken three straight in the series, including a 113-111 win at Minnesota on Jan. 7 in which Dragic went for 25 points.