The Timberwolves biggest addition from the summer might not be an acquisition at all, but instead the natural improvement of their own homegrown star: Karl-Anthony Towns.
Amidst all the hubbub from what has been a wild off-season for the Timberwolves, fans have had much time to daydream of better days ahead with all of the new acquisitions. But the most important member of this year’s team is probably existing star Karl-Anthony Towns.
Going back two decades, every NBA championship contending franchise has had a self-groomed superstar to rely upon. The late 90’s Bulls had Michael Jordan. The 2000’s Lakers had Kobe Bryant. The Spurs had Tim Duncan. LeBron James has dominated in Cleveland, and previously joined Dwyane Wade’s Heat to win two more titles.
The ultimate success of these franchises depended on surrounding these top players with supplementary stars and role players. These acquired role players needed to fit the vision and goals of the organization. However, the groundwork was laid by having their best player be homegrown and providing the foundation for success from within.
The Timberwolves seem to be on track to follow this precedent with their once-in-a-generation center, Karl-Anthony Towns. His offensive game is perfectly molded for the modern-day NBA, scoring effortlessly from every part of the floor. If the Wolves are able to give him an adequate surrounding cast, something they seem well on their way towards accomplishing, the franchise looks to be in splendid shape for the long-term.
Best-case comparison
The most enticing comparison that can be made for Towns is fellow big man Tim Duncan. Duncan, who many consider the best power forward NBA history, anchored a Spurs franchise for 19 seasons with his versatile and unselfish game. Lets look at a statistical comparison of these two over the course of their first two seasons in the NBA.
Tim Duncan
| Age | GS | MP | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | eFG% | FT% | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | PTS |
| 21 | 82 | 39.1 | 0.549 | 0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0.549 | 0.662 | 11.9 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 2.5 | 21.1 |
| 22 | 50 | 39.3 | 0.495 | 0 | 0.1 | 0.143 | 0.495 | 0.69 | 11.4 | 2.4 | 0.9 | 2.5 | 21.7 |
Karl-Anthony Towns
| Age | GS | MP | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | eFG% | FT% | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | PTS |
| 20 | 82 | 32 | 0.542 | 0.4 | 1.1 | 0.341 | 0.555 | 0.811 | 10.5 | 2 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 18.3 |
| 21 | 82 | 37 | 0.542 | 1.2 | 3.4 | 0.367 | 0.576 | 0.832 | 12.3 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 25.1 |
The numbers are eerily similar; Towns and Duncan almost averaged the exact same amount of points and rebounds through their first two seasons. Duncan just slightly edges KAT in the categories of blocks and assists. The main difference between them though? Team success. Timmy’s first two years with San Antonio led to a winning percentage of .705. KAT didn’t exactly experience the same success, with his Wolves stumbling to a .366 win rate.
But the point of this comparison isn’t to analyze their teams prior to them taking over as leaders. Rather, it’s to attempt to project if Towns has the talent level to raise the Timberwolves franchise greater heights.
The optimistic answer is ‘yes’. Towns’ offensive versatility and pure physical gifts might exceed that of his future Hall-of-Fame counterpart.
Duncan, known for his fundamental skills, earned a reputation as one of the most cerebral basketball players of his generation. His defensive instincts and knowledge of the game set him apart and supplied successful longevity. These are the areas that Karl must strive for in order to maximize his talents and continue to improve.
Analyzing KAT’s game
We’ll start with the bad stuff. Towns’ defense over the course of his first two NBA seasons has left much to be desired. Thought to be one of his strengths coming out of Kentucky, he has been sluggish to adjust this part of his game to the professional league. Slow defensive rotations, attempting too many “hero plays”, and lack of strength have all plagued Towns in adapting to his NBA surroundings. But how much of his defensive issues can also be attributed to his surroundings?
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Think of the Timberwolves defense as a can of garbage – a rather fitting analogy. KAT’s the old banana peel sitting in the middle of the trash, contributing to the stink of the overall can. However, along with that banana peel is old meat trimmings (Zach LaVine), and a moldy package of fruit (Andrew Wiggins). No amount of Febreze that Tom Thibodeau could spray will diffuse this unpleasant aroma.
The point of this comparison (other than ruining your appetite) is to state that even though Karl’s defense wasn’t very good, his problems were compounded by other underwhelming defenders on the same team.
The hope is that by adding competent defenders in Taj Gibson and Jimmy Butler, along with another year of growth, many of these problems will be solved. Towns has made many statements on the importance of this development. His vast improvement in this category will be vital for a team hoping to make some noise in a revamped Western Conference.
The positives
Where to start…
That seems like a pretty good place. Karl-Anthony Towns became the first player in NBA history to accomplish this feat. The flexibility he allows an offense is something that must give teams around the league migraines. The sheer volume of rebounds and points he is able to produce, along with the variety of ways and efficiency in which he is able to produce them, is something that makes basketball nerds around the world need an adult beverage to contain their excitement.
Towns’ incredible season started slow, at least for his astronomically high standards. His game took a couple of months to adjust to how defenses modified their strategies of defending him. KAT had to find his effective places on the floor and situations he felt comfortable in within Thibodeau’s new system. But at about the halfway point of the 2016-17 season, things got scary for Timberwolves opponents.
At this point, Karl decided to go full basketball alien mode on the rest of the league. His post All-Star game splits are absurd. He averaged 28.4 points, 13.4 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game over this stretch. He also shot 43.4 percent from 3-point range. That’s essentially scoring like Kevin Durant and rebounding like DeAndre Jordan, all while shooting from behind the arc as well as J.J. Redick.
That’s difficult to wrap one’s head around. Now add in that he is seven feet tall, has the handles of point guard, post footwork that compares with some all-time greats, and was only 21 years old while doing it.
Starting to see why Towns was named by NBA general managers before the season as the player they would most like to build a franchise around?
What this means for the Wolves
This era of the NBA will be defined by the apparent invincibility of the Golden State Warriors. Their collection of star power, team chemistry, and elite shooting is something that teams will struggle to match for the foreseeable future. Their “death lineup” essentially puts five players on the floor that can handle the ball, set screens, switch on defense, and make three-point shots. They do this all while being able to guard big lineups used by opponents because of the length Draymond Green and Kevin Durant provide.
Teams have tried to load up on wings and match up with the position-less basketball the Warriors have created. In theory this strategy seems good. But, is it really possible to beat the Warriors using a style that they’ve already perfected?
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This is where Towns’ brilliance comes into play. His agility and foot speed allow him to keep up with these modern-day lineups. Not only that, but his size and strength give him an advantage inside. Draymond Green, considered by many as one of the best defenders in the NBA, has had difficulties containing Towns when matched up with him over the course of the past two seasons. The fact that the Wolves also have two elite scoring and versatile wing options in Andrew Wiggins and Jimmy Butler, it is not hard to see how they would give the Warriors as many matchup issues as anybody.
If Towns is able to take the next step defensively, all while continuing to improve is offensive repertoire, his evolution as a modern day center could be the kryptonite to bringing down the indestructible Warriors.
Can the Timberwolves cash in?
Timberwolves fans know as well as anybody how easy it is to botch an opportunity to build around a once-in-a-generation talent. Look no further than Kevin Garnett and his continuously underwhelming supporting casts in a Timberwolves jersey.
The Wolves don’t seem to be in a position to let this disaster repeat itself. Surrounding Towns is the aforementioned Andrew Wiggins and Jimmy Butler, both probably superior players to anybody that Garnett had the opportunity of playing with in his first Minnesota stint. Wiggins, a former number-one pick, also has a path the superstardom, albeit a bumpier one than Towns seems to have. Butler has already achieved this feat, turning into a top two-way player in the league.
But where Wiggins’ path to excellence is laid with roadblocks, and Butler’s journey has taken years of grinding, Towns road to being an MVP candidate seems almost assumed, and quickly.
Towns’ ability to satisfy these assumptions will determine the success of the Timberwolves franchise not only this season, but for the next decade. He is the engine that runs the car. He is the pillar that holds up the organization. Decisions that the front office make are with the idea of Towns being under team control with his contract situation for at least the next seven years.
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With a foundation like that to build upon, it is a great time to be a Wolves fan.