After the Minnesota Timberwolves were soundly defeated by the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals, the blame game began. In truth, there wasn’t a single player who wasn’t at fault for how the series turned out. In the head coaching battle, Chris Finch was completely outclassed by Jason Kidd. Nonetheless, by the time the Timberwolves got home, there was a consensus among NBA fans that the best solution would be for the Wolves to trade Karl-Anthony Towns.
Timberwolves Head Honchos Address Future of Karl-Anthony Towns
Finch, addressing those concerns, says he “100 percent” believes Towns “can help take us where we want to go.”
Finch: “I 100 percent believe KAT can help take us where we want to go.”
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) May 31, 2024
Timberwolves president Tim Connelly spoke at length about Towns’s impact:
“I thought Karl was brilliant for most of the playoffs,” Connelly says, per Timberwolves reporter Dane Moore. “He had some tough shooting nights in this last series, but that didn’t dictate his intensity or his ability to do other things. We’re not here without Karl.”
“He’s an unbelievably skilled player. But for him to not just produce but produce in a really emotionally mature way, I thought was a huge step, and I couldn’t be more proud of Karl.”
“The maturity that Karl showed in the playoffs, I thought was one of the greatest things that we all saw,” Connelly continues. “I mean, he’s been through so much. He’s been through 20 (lead executives) and 20 head coaches…”
He’s Valuable, Not Untouchable
Towns had one of his better seasons in 2023-24. Averaging 21.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game on .504-.416-.873 shooting splits, the big man earned his fourth All-Star selection. However, aside from his rebounding average, Towns’s numbers fell across the board in the playoffs. In the Western Conference Finals, he was at his lowest point, averaging 19.6 points per game but shooting just 37.9 percent from the field and 24.2 percent from 3. He also averaged 3.4 fouls per game, his touchy defense disrupting the team’s gameplan.
With that said, while Towns is valuable, he’s probably not untouchable. The Wolves wouldn’t give him away for pocket change and lint. Nonetheless, there are kinks for the team to work out defensively and only one player’s starting spot should be guaranteed in Minnesota for next season: Anthony Edwards.
What Should The Wolves Do?
Though he remains an elite interior defender, trading Rudy Gobert would benefit the Wolves’ perimeter defense. It could also aid them offensively, as Gobert isn’t a respectable scoring threat outside of the dunker’s spot. Yet, Gobert’s reputation and contract could make him even more difficult to trade than Towns.
Naz Reid’s play when Towns went down with a meniscus injury is significant though. If the Timberwolves were to trade the former No. 1 pick, they don’t have to look far for his replacement. Furthermore, defensive stud Jaden McDaniels is penciled in at the three, but he can play either forward spot. As long they promote from within, they can focus on acquiring a perimeter scorer who can help take the pressure off of Edwards, their biggest need.
With that said, a Towns trade could fetch any number of stars. The Atlanta Hawks need a stretch-big and may be willing to trade Dejounte Murray in a package for Towns. If the Los Angeles Lakers believe he’ll opt out, perhaps they’d be willing to trade LeBron James rather than lose him for nothing. A trade for Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler isn’t out of the realm of possibility either.
