The Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Denver Nuggets, and Houston Rockets completed a 4-team, 12-player trade on Tuesday night that is the league’s most expansive blockbuster deal in nearly 20 years, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The headline moves in the deal see center Clint Capela traded from Houston to the Hawks and forward Robert Covington heading from Minnesota to the Rockets.
The Wolves land two first round picks in the deal, which includes the Rockets 2020 draft pick, and used that pick to send to Denver for Nuggets’ guard Malik Beasley and forward Juan Hernangomez.
Minnesota ends up with Atlanta’s 2020 first round pick, via the Brooklyn Nets, and also lands the Hawks’ Evan Turner and the Nuggets’ Jarred Vanderbilt.
The Nuggets land Wolves’ guard Shabazz Napier, forward Keita Bates-Diop, forward Noah Vonleh, and guard Gerald Green, who is currently injured.
The Hawks also land Rockets’ big man Nene Hilario, while the Rockets also receive Minnesota’s Jordan Bell and an Atlanta 2024 second rounder, via the Golden State Warriors. Atlanta will waive Chandler Parsons, along with his expiring $25.1 million contract, in order to create the necessary roster space to complete the deal.
Denver is expected to be active as the trade deadline approaches, as well as the Rockets, who keep the flexibility of $12 million in cap space so they are better equipped to improve their roster at the trade deadline.
The Wolves pivoted to this move after being rebuffed multiple times by the Golden State Warriors during their pursuit of guard D’Angelo Russell.
Capela gives the Hawks, who had been tied to Detroit Pistons’ big man Andre Drummond in trade rumors, the center that they have been looking for. Capela, despite battling plantar fasciitis, is averaging 13.9 points and 13.8 rebounds per game this season.