Report: Minnesota Timberwolves showing interest in Aaron Gordon and John Collins

The Minnesota Timberwolves are showing interest in Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon and Atlanta Hawks forward John Collins, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

The Timberwolves currently have the worst record in the NBA at 7-29, but they still want to upgrade their roster around Karl-Anthony Towns, D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards.

“Minnesota has shown interest in power forwards around the league, including Atlanta’s John Collins and Orlando’s Aaron Gordon, sources said,” Charania wrote. “Both players have significant asking prices in the marketplace. The Timberwolves had substantive conversations with the Magic on Gordon prior to his severe ankle sprain last month, sources said, and those talks are expected to resume as he nears his return to the floor.”

Gordon has been out of the lineup with an ankle sprain, but he is still under contract with the Magic through next season.

As for Collins, he is a free agent at the end of the 2020-21 campaign, but Minnesota could view him as a long-term fit alongside Towns and try to re-sign him.

The Timberwolves were hoping to make some noise this season with a full year of Towns, Russell and Malik Beasley, but each player has dealt with injuries or off-court issues this season.

Russell is currently out of the lineup with a knee injury, and Beasley is serving a 12-game suspension stemming from his arrest last September.

As for Towns, he dealt with a wrist injury earlier this year before contracting COVID-19. He has only played in 16 of the Timberwolves’ 36 games this season.

It is possible that Minnesota believes that by adding Collins or Gordon that it will be able to get out of the basement in the Western Conference.