Pass or Pursue: 3 potential Karl-Anthony Towns Timberwolves trades

Trade Scenario I: Clipper – Paul George

The Minnesota Timberwolves will generate a lot of interest from now until the 2024 NBA Trade Deadline. And many of the calls will be made to inquire as to the availability and asking price for Timberwolves All-Star veteran power forward Karl-Anthony Towns. While some teams will merely be asking to determine the fair market value, other teams will have a bonafide interest in acquiring Towns.  One such team could be the Los Angeles Clippers.

We know that the Clippers have to feel pretty good about their chances this season. They managed to add a very affordable Russell Westbrook to their duo of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.  But that combination did not help them advance in the 2023 NBA Playoffs. They have plenty of reasons to pursue a trade for Karl-Anthony Towns.

Okay, so let’s examine this third and final trade proposal.

So this trade scenario comes down to a player-for-player swap of Paul George for Karl-Anthony Towns and a trade for Kyle Anderson for a distant future first-round pick.

Reason to pass

Any trade that names both Karl-Anthony Towns and Kyle Anderson as outbound players in the same NBA Trade scenario is pretty risky business. It’s more than a speed bump, as it eliminates both a starting 4, a backup 5, a backup 3, and a backup 4 in one fell swoop. While veteran Paul George is certainly a player who brings plenty to the basketball court, you have to wonder how long can he sustain that level of performance.

I don’t see the Timberwolves giving much consideration to this scenario. The cost for the Timberwolves is too high and the return is too uncertain.

Reason to pursue

Do the Timberwolves need to part ways with Towns’ massive salary spike next season? Do the Timberwolves have any interest in adding draft picks? If the answer is yes to both questions, then this trade scenario could make some sense. How much sense depends on how desperate you believe the Minnesota Timberwolves are this season. I don’t think that the team is anywhere close to being desperate enough to try this route.

Final Verdict: Hard Pass