Timberwolves trade Andrew Wiggins to Warriors for D'Angelo Russell

Feb. 6 (UPI) -- The Minnesota Timberwolves traded forward Andrew Wiggins to the Golden State Warriors in a deal that nets them All-Star guard D'Angelo Russell, the team announced Thursday.

The Timberwolves sent Wiggins, a 2021 protected first-round draft pick and a 2021 second-round pick to the Warriors in exchange for Russell, swingman Jacob Evans and forward Omari Spellman, according to the team.

League sources told ESPN the 2021 draft choice is top-three protected. If it falls in the top three, it transfers to 2022 and is unprotected.

The Timberwolves were searching for a point guard to pair with star big man Karl-Anthony Towns. Russell was taken with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, one selection behind Towns.

Russell has averaged a career-high 23.6 points per game in his first season with the Warriors. Golden State originally acquired him from the Brooklyn Nets in the Kevin Durant trade last off-season.

Wiggins has spent his entire six-year NBA career with the T-Wolves. The Cleveland Cavaliers selected him with the top pick in 2014, but he was immediately traded to Minnesota in the Kevin Love deal.

Wiggins is averaging 22.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game this season. He is in the second year of a five-year, $140 million contract.