Timberwolves reportedly trade Robert Covington, 4 others in roster overhaul

While most of us were sleeping Tuesday night, the Minnesota Timberwolves reportedly made a slew of trades and in the process, overhauled about a third of their roster amid a 12-game losing streak.

The NBA trade deadline is 2 p.m. Thursday, and it’s unlikely the Wolves are done dealing as Gersson Rosas and the front office are likely continuing their pursuit of Golden State Warriors star D’Angelo Russell after not landing him in free agency last off-season.

According to reports from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Wolves traded five players Tuesday night in a four-team deal involving the Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets and Atlanta Hawks. Shabazz Napier, Keita Bates-Diop and Noah Vonleh were sent to the Nuggets. Robert Covington and Jordan Bell are headed to Houston.

In return, the Wolves get Malik Beasley, Juancho Hernangomez, Evan Turner, Jarred Vanderbilt and a lottery-protected first-round pick from the Brooklyn Nets. If the Nets make the playoffs, the Wolves keep the pick.

Beasley is in his fourth NBA season with the Nuggets, averaging 7.8 points per game and shooting better than 39 percent from the field, including 36.4 percent from the perimeter and 94 percent from the free-throw line. He’s a career 38.3 percent three-point shooter.

Hernangomez is in his fourth NBA season and is averaging 3.0 points and 2.5 rebounds in 33 games with the Nuggets this season, shooting 34.6 percent from the field.

Turner has played in just 19 games with the Atlanta Hawks this year and is averaging 3.3 points, two rebounds and two assists per game while shooting 37 percent from the field.

Vanderbilt, in his second season with Denver, has played in just eight games and is averaging one point and less than one rebound per game.

The Wolves face the Atlanta Hawks Wednesday night in a game that will surely look interesting for both teams. Minnesota has lost 12 straight and is 15-34 on the season, 9.5 games out of a spot in the Western Conference Playoffs. They also haven’t won a game with star forward Karl-Anthony Towns on the floor since before Thanksgiving.

With the NBA trade deadline looming at 2 p.m. Thursday, the Wolves might not be done dealing. They’re still in pursuit of Russell, though talks apparently hit a wall Tuesday night.