The Timberwolves are fun! D’Angelo Russell is fun, Malik Beasley is fun, and the other new additions have produced at a high level since arriving earlier this month. And yet, the Wolves are still a dumpster fire on defense, which is an even greater problem since Karl-Anthony Towns is slated to miss more time in the upcoming weeks.
Once Towns is back, Minnesota could win some games on firepower alone. In the future, however, the defense needs a serious facelift.
The Drummond trade means Detroit has finally accepted the inevitable — a rebuild. Derrick Rose and Blake Griffin are remnants of a bygone era, but Detroit has finally turned its attention to the long-term future, rather than the eighth seed.
The Hawks have a genuine rising star in Trae Young, who dropped 50 in a win over Miami last week. He started the All-Star Game for a reason, and any ’empty calorie’ take in regards to Young should die, here and now.
Unfortunately, Atlanta lacks the resources, especially on defense, to translate Young’s production into consistent winning at this stage. Still, Young and John Collins is one heck of a duo, and Clint Capela‘s eventual debut will help. The Hawks are trending up.