Last summer, the Minnesota Timberwolves decided to push all of their chips on the table in an attempt to compete for a championship. They traded almost all of their draft capital for Rudy Gobert.
In Gobert’s first season with the team, the Timberwolves were disappointing. Injuries got in the way, but the Timberwolves finished as the eighth seed in the Western Conference and were eliminated in the first round.
The frontcourt of Karl-Anthony Towns and Gobert looked a bit clunky, and with how handcuffed the Timberwolves are moving forward, they could consider making changes this summer.
Unfortunately, while the Timberwolves may prefer to cut their losses and trade Gobert, he likely has a negative value at this point. In turn, their best bet could be to trade Towns and reshape the roster. Of course, trading KAT comes with its own set of speed bumps as well. Towns cannot be traded until June 29, 2023, as is the case for many NBA players on new contract extensions.
5 Karl-Anthony Towns trades to rebalance the Minnesota Timberwolves roster
By this point, it should be clear that Anthony Edwards is the star of the show in Minnesota. Ever since he stepped into the league, he’s been oozing star potential, and last season was his best year to date.
In what is likely to be his first All-Star season of many, Edwards took the reins, carrying the Timberwolves while Towns was hurt. He’s never been more ready to be the face of the franchise.
The Timberwolves could get a great package of players and/or picks in return for Towns, which would completely change the future of the franchise and could give Edwards a better chance to win.
By trading Towns, they would be able to adjust the outlook of the roster, balancing things out by adding more guards or wings.
With all that in mind, here are five Towns trades the Timberwolves should consider this summer.
5 Karl-Anthony Towns trades to rebalance the Minnesota Timberwolves roster: Boston Celtics
After finishing with one of the best regular-season records in the NBA, the Boston Celtics struggled with inconsistency throughout the postseason. And after an embarrassing exit in the Eastern Conference finals at the hands of the Miami Heat, they could look to reshape things.
For the Minnesota Timberwolves, this could be a great chance to pounce and attempt to trade for Jaylen Brown. The 26-year-old wing just made his first All-NBA team and is a top-20 player in the NBA.
Pairing Brown with Anthony Edwards would form an amazing wing duo, with Rudy Gobert still manning the middle. However, maybe the Timberwolves would rather bring in a point guard to help lead the way alongside Edwards.
Minnesota would also land Payton Pritchard as some underrated guard depth in the move, as well as Danilo Gallinari, who would have to pick up his player option for this trade to work.
Following an ugly playoff showing, the Celtics would shake things up after seven years of the Jayson Tatum-Brown pairing, instead bringing in Karl-Anthony Towns as Tatum’s running mate.
That being said, while the Celtics could choose to shake things up, it would be a wild pivot to trade Brown this summer. It would make some sense, considering he’s up for a contract extension, but it would be a shocking move regardless.
Boston would also add Kyle Anderson to the mix in this deal, which would help keep their frontcourt solid after losing Brown, who played mostly small forward this season.
Potential starting lineups:
Timberwolves: Mike Conley, Anthony Edwards, Jaylen Brown, Jaden McDaniels, Rudy Gobert
Celtics: Marcus Smart, Derrick White, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford, Karl-Anthony Towns
5 Karl-Anthony Towns trades to rebalance the Minnesota Timberwolves roster: New York Knicks
A brutal playoff stretch could have New York Knicks fans questioning Julius Randle’s future with the team. And in reality, maybe Jalen Brunson needs a different running mate for the Knicks to be at their best. Karl-Anthony Towns could be that guy.
The Minnesota Timberwolves would have to believe in Randle to make a move like this, and it’s possible that they simply don’t. However, he’s still a two-time All-NBA player.
Randle’s defense and scoring could make him an intriguing fit alongside Anthony Edwards, and he’s also a solid playmaker for his position.
Miles McBride would be a nice addition, too, as he’d bring some defense and youth to Minnesota’s guard room. Derrick Rose would mainly be in the deal to match salaries, but his return to the Timberwolves would be fun.
The real reason Minnesota should think about this trade is the first-round picks, as it would help them replenish their draft cabinet after giving up everything for Rudy Gobert.
Meanwhile, the Knicks would be shipping out three picks (and maybe more if the Timberwolves ask for it) for Towns, who would pair beautifully alongside Brunson, who emerged as an All-NBA-caliber player this past season.
New York would get another star to roll out on the biggest stage in sports, while the Timberwolves would rebalance their team.
Potential starting lineups:
Timberwolves: Mike Conley, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Julius Randle, Rudy Gobert
Knicks: Jalen Brunson, Quentin Grimes, RJ Barrett, Obi Toppin, Karl-Anthony Towns
5 Karl-Anthony Towns trades to rebalance the Minnesota Timberwolves roster: Chicago Bulls
After two years of middling success, the Chicago Bulls could look to shake things up this summer. Considering the Minnesota Timberwolves could look to do the same, this deal could make sense for both sides.
The Timberwolves would add an All-Star alongside Anthony Edwards in DeMar DeRozan. The veteran star has been an All-Star in each of the past two seasons and would give Minnesota a great secondary scorer.
On top of that, DeRozan would be an amazing mentor for Edwards, who is still only 21 years old. The 34-year-old wing has lots of experience he could pass down.
Netting Patrick Williams in this deal would also be a huge wing for the Timberwolves. The 21-year-old forward is oozing with potential and may just need a new situation in order to thrive. Minnesota would essentially be adding a second Jaden McDaniels. (Or at least, that’s what Williams projects to be.)
For the Bulls, this would be the perfect way to round out the roster around Zach LaVine, who played with Towns during their time together in Minnesota.
There’s a chance Chicago tries to keep Williams out of this deal, but considering how much younger Towns is than DeRozan, Minnesota would probably push to have him included.
Potential starting lineups:
Timberwolves receive: Mike Conley, Anthony Edwards, DeMar DeRozan, Jaden McDaniels, Rudy Gobert
Bulls receive: Patrick Williams (if re-signed), Alex Caruso, Zach LaVine, (FA/trade for PF), Karl-Anthony Towns
5 Karl-Anthony Towns trades to rebalance the Minnesota Timberwolves roster: Golden State Warriors
Of all the trades listed, this may be the most unrealistic. That being said, it could make sense for both sides, especially considering how available the Golden State Warriors may make Jordan Poole this summer.
For the Minnesota Timberwolves to make this trade, they would have to have faith in Jordan Poole’s ability to grow as a player. He’s a score-first guard coming off a horrendous postseason run.
However, when given the chance to start in Golden State, he played like an All-Star. In Minnesota, he would get that chance on a night-to-night basis without the worry of getting benched.
That being said, maybe the Timberwolves would rather trade for a proven star to play alongside Anthony Edwards. There would definitely be some risk involved in a deal for Poole.
Gary Payton II, however, would just be a solid addition. The hard-nosed, defensive-minded guard would be a great rotation piece for Minnesota.
Meanwhile, the Warriors’ Splash Bros unit would be complete with this move, adding the best three-point shooting center in the history of basketball. Plus, Draymond Green could cover up for some of Karl-Anthony Towns’ defensive deficiencies.
However, the Warriors are all about winning. Something Towns doesn’t have much experience with. While that hasn’t always been his fault, the Warriors may rather trade Poole for a player they can trust in the postseason.
Potential starting lineups:
Timberwolves: Mike Conley, Jordan Poole, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Rudy Gobert
Warriors: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green, Karl-Anthony Towns
5 Karl-Anthony Towns trades to rebalance the Minnesota Timberwolves roster: Portland Trail Blazers
The value in this trade could potentially need to be balanced, but the general framework of the deal makes sense for both teams. The Minnesota Timberwolves would get younger and add a star, while the Portland Trail Blazers would make a win-now move.
For Minnesota, pairing Anthony Edwards with Anfernee Simons and the third pick in the draft would immediately brighten their future by a wide margin.
Simons has shown All-Star potential, and the Timberwolves could draft one of Scoot Henderson or Brandon Miller to fill out their starting lineup.
Jusuf Nurkic probably would get flipped in a separate deal or come off the bench, as his contract may have negative value at this point. The same can be said for Kevin Knox II, who would mainly be in this trade for salary-matching purposes.
There is a chance Portland would want to get better value in a deal involving Simons and the third pick, whether that be an improved defensive presence of more depth than Towns and Kyle Anderson.
However, it’s clear that the Trail Blazers are desperate to put a championship-caliber team around Damian Lillard. Towns is a perennial All-Star talent who would give them an immediate upgrade.
So, while the value may have to be adjusted a tiny bit, the general idea of this trade makes sense for both parties. Minnesota balances their team around Edwards, and the Trail Blazers form a competitive roster around Lillard.
Potential starting lineups:
Timberwolves: Scoot Henderson/Brandon Miller, Anfernee Simons, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Rudy Gobert
Trail Blazers: Damian Lillard, Matisse Thybulle, Kyle Anderson, Jerami Grant )if re-signed), Karl-Anthony Towns