1:32pm: The trade is official, according to press releases issued by the Hawks and Timberwolves.
11:07am: The Hawks and Timberwolves have finalized a trade agreement, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who reports (via Twitter) that Atlanta will receive point guard Jeff Teague and swingman Treveon Graham in exchange for wing Allen Crabbe.
Teague, who began his career in Atlanta and spent seven seasons with the Hawks, including his lone All-Star campaign in 2014/15, will help fortify the team’s backcourt and serve as a veteran mentor for rising star Trae Young. He’ll also give the club a reliable floor general when Young sits. As ESPN’s Royce Young notes (via Twitter), Atlanta’s offensive rating this season has plummeted from 108.2 to 90.7 when Young is on the bench.
In 34 games (27.8 MPG) for Minnesota, Teague has averaged 13.2 PPG and 6.1 APG with a .448/.379/.868 shooting line. While those are solid numbers, he wasn’t viewed by the Timberwolves’ new management group as a part of the team’s future plans and had lost his starting job to Shabazz Napier.
Crabbe has struggled in a modest role for the Hawks this season, but has been a reliable three-point shooter throughout his seven-year career. He had knocked down 39.3% of his career outside attempts before making just 32.3% in 2019/20. If he can bounce back in Minnesota – at least to some extent – he’ll help provide the sort of floor spacing that wings like Andrew Wiggins and Jarrett Culver haven’t.
Teague ($19MM) and Crabbe ($18.5MM) are on similar expiring contracts, so swapping the two veterans won’t impact Minnesota’s or Atlanta’s books beyond this season. Graham, who has a $1.65MM minimum-salary contract, will also be a free agent at season’s end. His inclusion helps the Timberwolves save some money while opening up a roster spot for a possible forthcoming move.
According to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer (via Twitter), Minnesota has been talking to teams around the NBA as they search for another ball-handler, so president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas likely isn’t done dealing. O’Connor reports that the Timberwolves recently pursued Pacers point guard Aaron Holiday, but didn’t get anywhere in those discussions.
The Wolves will create a pair of modest traded player exceptions in this swap. One will be worth Graham’s salary ($1.65MM) while the second will be worth the difference in Teague’s and Crabbe’s cap hits ($500K).
The Hawks, meanwhile, had an open roster spot and are under the salary cap, so acquiring Graham in addition to Teague won’t require any additional moves or cap gymnastics for them.
Atlanta still has big expiring contracts belonging to Chandler Parsons ($25.1MM) and Evan Turner ($18.6MM) if general manager Travis Schlenk wants to make another deal. It’s also worth noting that both Teague and Graham could theoretically be aggregated in a second trade before the deadline since the Hawks are taking them on using cap room.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Good trade for both. Limits the load on Young and gives the Wolves 3pt shooting
Covington next?
welcome back
Surprised the Lakers weren’t in on teague or raptors. Seems odd no contender wanted him as a depth piece.
Lakers don’t have contracts to match Teague’s
They have rondo, kcp, dudley, quinn cook, boogie what are you talking about lol
Yeah cuz a 4 for 1 trade where the wolves dump 3 of the guys makes total sense
KCP has a no trade clause so I highly doubt he would waive it being as though he is on a championship caliber team.
I would hardly call the Lakers championship caliber, there is no way they win this year, but I agree with the rest
They have the best record in the western conference and two of the best players in the league. What are you talking about? Of course they’re championship caliber. Nobody said they’re guaranteed a win, but how are they not even contenders in your opinion?
The Raptors literally would have no use for Teague. Our guards are much, much better, even our G league guards, and Teague doesn’t space the floor. No thanks
That may be true but “caliber” in that context just means could-be champ, not favorite.
Anyway I disagree, and Lebron is playing guard, though HR calls him a 4.
He’s back baby!
damn i’m on the move again?
Sorry, buddy…
Just in time to get warm weather! But you’re a journeyman now, no longer the kid wing on ATL– they are quite young there.
The new Alan Crabbe lol! Except for salary. Sorry avatar.
Wolves can have brunson… damn i really wanted dallas to get Teague
Your crusade against Brunson is too funny. Though, I do have to admit, I’ve been watching him closer since noticing you want to ship him out of town, and he is usually good for several bone-headed plays a game.
Thanks for noticing lol. He can catch and shoot and thats about it. I think while watching mavs and 76ers mark cuban joined the broadcasters and said he wants to keep all the young guys together and have them grow up together. So brunson, powell and Finney smith probably wont get traded anytime soon
Powell is also 30
He turns 29 in the offseason…
Exactly– the anti-Brunson campaign is funny– not that I doubt it– I rarely watch him on that team so IDK. I usually think, why are are players getting out of the way of Doncic… How does he do that…
—–
Mark Cuban likely believes that, but if the kids are good enough, they get too expensive to keep together. GSW fans talk about the luck in signing Curry when he had ankle absences.
Kind of a pointless trade for both teams, isn’t it?
not much for not much
Yeah, I can sort of see the leadership/teaching aspect for the Hawks, but zero return for the Wolves.
They could have:
A. gotten hot and got into the playoffs.
B. used Teague as part of a package for a big fish.
Wolves gained flexibility to swing another trade
Hawks are terrible without Trae Young on the floor. Perhaps Jeff Teague who is a veteran point guard and effective point guard can help with the second unit. Hawks trying to get better even if it’s just an expiring contract.
i dont see why the wolves did this? who going to be their pg now? but than again they have been wanting to move him for a while
Their pg now is their pg now
Teague was a backup
Now they have to play point wiggins or out faith in Napier. I vote point wiggins.
Uhh, there is no point Wiggins. Napier has been starting for over a month now, and will continue to do so with Teague gone. Not rocket science, fellas
Need more… Napier, Culver, & probably another G. Also Okogie & Nowell can switch to it.
Play the kids and tank Timberpuppies!!! Save a few bucks along the way even better.
Thanks for noticing lol. He can catch and shoot and thats about it. I think while watching mavs and 76ers mark cuban joined the broadcasters and said he wants to keep all the young guys together and have them grow up together. So brunson, powell and Finney smith probably wont get traded anytime soon
Actually this trade makes zero sense for the Wolves. Should have gotten a 2nd unprotected as a minimum.
Hawks can now flip Teague to the Pistons for Drummond on a trail run for free.
Really dumb move Wolves.
Good idea as ATL will not send a r1… this could do it… but they need PG insurance anyway and can afford Teague.
Regardless, I wonder if Trae is saying, “So this is what they get me?– a guy at my position!”
Trae has been putting pressure on the Hawks from office for awhile now to make them stronger because he wants to win games.
Think it’s a good move for them. Teague will be a solid 6th man for the Hawks.
The big issue for the Hawks is still the centre and shooting guard positions plus some depth.
Would love to see them follow this up with a move for Malik Beasley and Mo Bamba.
Bamba and a second for Heuter
Beasley for 2 seconds
Young and Beasley would be an exciting backcourt with loads of potential and great shooting. Bamba gets a fresh start in Atlanta and would do much better not in Orlando with all the bigs and forwards there.
The Parsons and Turner contracts……..Yikes!