Lakers Timberwolves Hawks three-party transaction is exposed! Gobert may go to the Lakers, Reeves becomes the key chip

The offseason has not officially started yet, rumors of three-party transactions between the Timberwolves, Lakers and Hawks have "blasted" the league to the first big melon.

According to the famous reporter Shams, the Timberwolves are actively contacting the Lakers and want to send Gobert away (a three-year, 110 million contract) through a three-party transaction, and the Hawks may join. At least 10 players involved, the goal is clear: the Timberwolves are throwing their burdens + becoming younger, the Lakers make up for the shortcomings of the center, and the Hawks find a vacant veteran + point guard.

Timberwolves: Gobert becomes a "salary poison" and must be dumped!

The Timberwolves' trip to the Western Conference Finals in the past two years is actually "internal and external troubles" - they have stopped in the Western Conference Finals for two consecutive years, and the core lineup has aging (Conley 38 years old), and Edwards's "window of championship competition" is counting down.

The most troublesome thing is Gobert's contract: 110 million yuan in three years, accounting for 12% of the salary cap. He averaged 12 points, 10.9 rebounds and 1.4 caps per game this season (selected in the second team of the best defensive team), and his data is good, but the Timberwolves want to be younger and be able to shoot three-pointers Reed. Gobert's tactical value of "rack protection + eating cake" has been diluted, becoming a burden of "high salary and low adaptation".

The management's plan is clear: send Gobert away, free up salary space to renew Reed (26 million) and Randall (30 million) to rebuild a younger lineup around Edwards.

Lakers: Doncic + James urgently needs center, is Gobert the "ready-shelf answer"?

The Lakers were eliminated by the Timberwolves in the first round, and the biggest shortcoming exposed was the lack of center.

Doncic + James' "double-held ball-core" needs a center that can protect the frame, eat cake, and pull space. Although Gobert did not have three-pointers, the franchise protection (fifth in the league with 0-6 feet franchise protection) and the franchise (75% assisted attack rate) are top-notch, just filling the Lakers' inside loopholes.

More importantly, the Lakers "hesitated" about Reeves' maximum salary - Reeves wants to 120 million in four years (all 30 million), but the Lakers believe that Doncic + James has already occupied a lot of the ball, and Reeves' "ball-holding ability" has become "dispensable". It is better to change the center than to sign him for a maximum salary.

Therefore, the Timberwolves proposed to exchange Gobert + Divincenzo for Reeves + Bacun + Knector + two second round picks. The Lakers think it is also relatively "fair" - using Reeves who "may premium" to exchange Gobert with "instant combat power" and also free up salary space.

Hawks: Find a bargaining Conley + Vanderbilt, make up for point guard + frontcourt depth

The Hawks have been lukewarm in the past two years, and the biggest problem is "weak point guard substitutes" + "poor frontcourt defense".

Conley (38 years old, 11 million in 1 year) is an old subordinate of the current Hawks coach Snyder. The two worked together for many years during the Jazz. Conley is experienced and can be a "collar worker"; Vanderbilt (46.9 million in 3 years) has a tough defense and can make up for the shortcomings in the frontcourt defense.

The Eagles' abacus is: using Mann + Nion to exchange Conley + Vanderbilt, which not only strengthens the shortcomings, but also avoids salary exceeding the second luxury tax line.

"Potential Problems" of Tripartite Transactions: Salary Match + Future Assets

Although each of the three parties takes the needs, two problems must be solved to be solved in order to complete the transaction:

1. Salary Match

Timberwolves: Gobert (36.66 million) + Divincenzo (9.7 million) = 46.36 million; Lakers: Reeves (23.2 million) + Bacun Lei (18 million) + Kneckett (2 million) = 43.2 million, Hawks: Mann (14 million) + Nian (2 million) = 16 million. How can the salary of the tripartite transactions be matched? This is the issue that the three teams need to focus on next.

2. Future assets

Timberwolves want "younger + salary space", so they did not mention the first round pick (just the second round); the Lakers want to retain future draft picks (2027 and 2029 second rounds), and can still release space in 2027 after the transaction (James contract expires); the Hawks hope to "immediate combat power + low salary", and the contract between Conley and Vanderbilt meets the needs.

The first shot in the offseason, the three parties each took the "smart deal" they needed

The three-party deal is essentially a "smart deal" that "each takes the need":

The Timberwolves got rid of Gobert's "salary baggage" in exchange for Reeves and Bacun Lei, and rebuild around Edwards; the Lakers made up for the shortcomings of the center and sent away Reeves, who "may beneficiary" Reeves, and retained the window period for the championship; the Hawks took advantage of Conley (point guard substitute) and Vanderbilt (defensive forward line) to improve the depth of the lineup.

Although it is still in the "verbal discussion" stage, the Timberwolves' active contact has opened the "crazy curtain" for the offseason. Next season, we may see: Doncic + James + Gobert's "three cores" to win the championship, Edwards + Reeves' "new double guns" come back, the Hawks return to the playoffs led by Snyder + Conley... Can this deal be made? Let's wait and see.