PHI gets front court athleticism in Randolph, something they could use to go along with Hawes and an aging Brand. They also get Wes who … well, at least he’s more naturally suited to play SF which would allow Iguodala to move back to SG (which could also happen if they played Thaddeus Young at SF, which is more likely than them starting Wes at SF). And right now their starting SG is Meeks so they’re giving up a bench player with potential (Turner) for a bench player with potential (Randolph) and a bench player with more limited potential (Johnson).

Turner isn’t yet (and may never be) the 3pt shooter the Wolves would love to have at SG, but he played well at the very end of last season, he spent the offseason retooling his jump shot, and in the preseason he got to the foul line more often than he did last season. He’s a good defensive player and at least a better ballhandler than Wes.

I’d love for the Wolves to get a superstar SG but it just isn’t going to happen. With no 1st round draft pick of our own this year we’re not going to draft one. The few superstar SGs in the league are all way too expensive for the Wolves to get without trading away most of their team. Now is the best time to go after Turner, a successful college player who has a chance at developing into a pretty good SG. If his retooled shot and his newfound aggressiveness are real improvements and not just hype, by the end of this season he’ll be worth more than the Wolves can trade/are willing to trade for him. If he isn’t much of an improved player at the end of the season the Wolves have only traded away Wes (who no one seems to think will ever amount to much) and Randolph, a physically gifted player but one that Adelman doesn’t seem inclined to play much (probably because of his poor BBIQ).

I’m not sure PHI would go for this trade, but for the Wolves, we trade away two current bench players (one a front court player, where we’re stacked with talented guys, and the other a SF we’re trying to mold into a SG) for a guy who is at worst a bench player at a position we need and who could end up developing into an above average starter at SG. I'd even be willing to throw in another player or take back a contract from PHI (possibly Nocioni).

Let me know your thoughts. This is my first post so I'm sure I'm missing some things that the more basketball literate among you will be able to point out.