Tue, Feb 10, 2015 at 3:33pm

T-WOLVES REIN IN PAYNE FROM CONTENDING HAWKS

The Minnesota Timberwolves acquired power forward-center Adreian Payne from the Atlanta Hawks for a lottery-protected first-round draft pick in 2017.

What does it give the Minnesota Timberwolves
Their earlier trade of guards Mo Williams and Troy Daniels (to Charlotte) opened up a roster spot for the T-Wolves, and Payne is a very nice building block to fill that spot. While he hasn't been as dominant in the NBA's D-League this season as some might have expected, Payne remains a polished big man with the talent to potentially one day be an NBA starter. He's the type of 'stretch four' NBA teams are coveting at power forward these days, and he's probably closer to being ready for NBA action than a lot of current rookies. A potential steal here by Minny.

What does it give the Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks have (somewhat surprisingly) been the NBA's best team this season, so they're in 'win now' mode. While Atlanta may one day regret trading Payne--a player they used the No. 15 overall pick in the 2014 draft on--they're clearly focused on this season. The Hawks do at least get a future first-rounder for Payne here, while opening up a roster spot and some cash to onstensibly ink a more seasoned reserve.

Fantasy impact
In deep keeper leagues Payne probably gets a fantasy upgrade here, but for now there is little to no fantasy impact. Despite his talent Payne faces an uphill battle for minutes even on the rebuilding young T-Wolves.