A Karl-Anthony Towns Trade Shouldn’t Be Taken Lightly By Wolves

The Minnesota Timberwolves swung big last year when they traded for Rudy Gobert, a trade that has yet to turn advantageous for the organization.

During Gobert’s debut season with the Wolves, former Wolves center Karl-Anthony Towns, ended up playing both out of position, and taking a lesser role to accommodate the presence of Gobert.

With the Wolves having phenom Anthony Edwards on the roster, decisions are inevitable for the Wolves, who will need to figure out who to pair with the 6’5 explosive shooting guard moving forward.

Ideally, Edwards should be paired with Towns, who offensively offers a level of talent that would allow Edwards to not strain himself via enormous usage, as we see with other players around the league such as Luka Dončić or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

However, this is where things get tricky.

Gobert does not have even remotely the same trade value as he did last year, making it impossible for the Wolves to acquire a similar package as the one they gave up.

That package – or one close to it – would only be available by trading away Towns. Something the organization should think twice about.

Towns, as of late, has been less effective than in years past due to the presence of Gobert, and some extent Edwards too. This has affected how he’s viewed, at least from the outside.

After four straight years of averaging over 24 points per game, Towns slipped down to 20.8 per night this season, and hauled in just 8.1 rebounds, despite being historically being formidable on the glass, sporting three years in a row of over 12 per game.

Of course, some of this is due to Towns missing almost three months of time due to a Grade 3 calf strain. 29 games played on the season might not be the biggest sample size to look at, but even before he went down, his fit next to Gobert looked wobbly at best.

If Towns is put on the market, teams shouldn’t hesitate to make a call.

The 7-footer has spent his entire career with the Wolves, an organization that hasn’t always had the best reputation for building sustainable cultures. After eight years in town, the former All-Star is often criticized by virtue of association, which seems odd considering the uniqueness of his skill set.

Scoring wise, Towns is one of the most versatile big men in the NBA and unquestionably one of the best shooters at the center position we’ve ever seen. He’s had four seasons of hitting over 40% from downtown, sports a career average of 83.5% from the line, and has hit over 71% of his shots within three feet over the course of his career.

While never a high-impact defender – one of the most frequent points of criticism – there’s no denying that Towns offers a tremendously diverse offensive scoring package, allowing him to finish plays inside, outside, and from the line.

Towns has even dug into his playmaking in recent years, having sported three seasons of 4-plus assists per game. While no Nikola Jokić, Towns is fully capable of setting up the offense, and even dribbling the ball up court, where he can hunt matchups.

It seems this summer could mark a good time for a change of scenery, should the Wolves be open to moving off of him and instead turn Gobert into their lone big man.

It wouldn’t be advisable, especially as Edwards grow as a playmaker and will need a versatile offensive big man to help him achieve new heights. There is a world where Edwards and Towns could turn into the league’s most dynamic guard/big man offensive duo, as long as they get surrounded by shooters, who can help alleviate some of the defensive shortcomings. Jaden McDaniels, for example, is already on the team, who fits that bill.

Gobert, however, does not. And that’s why this alternative route needs to be considered.

It is worth noting that Towns received a contract extension worth $224 million last summer, which locks him up to, and including, the 2026-2027 season. Is that a sign of ownership committing to him long-term, or was it a play to turn him into a more attractive trade piece? After all, teams kicking the tires on Towns would know he’s under contract for at least the next four seasons, meaning they wouldn’t have to fear him becoming a flight risk.

Whatever considerations the Wolves will have this summer about Towns, they’re going to need to make sure they understand what they would be losing, if they were to shop him around. Because there’s a good chance he’ll flip his own narrative elsewhere.

Unless noted otherwise, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball-Reference. All salary information via Spotrac. All odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.