The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team acquired three second-round draft picks and sent forward Wes Johnson and a future first-round draft pick to Phoenix in a three-team trade that also involved the New Orleans Hornets.
The move frees up salary cap space for the 2012-13 season, making it possible for the Timberwolves to make additional moves this offseason.
"We thank Wes for his two seasons in Minnesota and wish him the best in Phoenix," President of Basketball Operations David Kahn said. "This trade frees up salary cap space for us as we pursue adding additional players to our roster."
Johnson was the fourth overall pick out of Syracuse in 2010. He spent two seasons with the Wolves, averaging 7.7 points and 2.9 rebounds in 144 games (127 starts).
After an up and down 2011-12 season in which he played in 65 of the team’s 66 games—starting 64—but averaged 6.0 points per game, Johnson spent much of his offseason working on his game in New York and had a memorable Summer League last week in Las Vegas. Johnson averaged 20.5 points per game during four Summer League contests and shot 9-of-20 from 3-point range.
But with the season fast approaching and the Timberwolves having already made moves to add Chase Budinger, Alexey Shved and Robbie Hummel—as well as working with Derrick Williams to move into the small forward position—the Wolves are looking to improve their wing play this offseason.
The Wolves received two second-round draft picks from New Orleans—a 2013 pick of the Brooklyn Nets and a 2016 pick originally belonging to the Wolves. Both picks were acquired by the Hornets in a July 13, 2012 trade. The Wolves also received a second-round draft pick from Phoenix, a 2014 pick of the Los Angeles Lakers that the Suns acquired on July 11, 2012.
Also in the trade, Phoenix sent center Robin Lopez and forward Hakim Warrick to New Orleans and the Hornets sent guard Jerome Dyson and center Brad Miller to the Suns.