5 Trades Timberwolves should make to split up Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert
By Tyler Watts
The Minnesota Timberwolves are facing a crucial season. They finished two games over .500 last year, but Karl-Anthony Towns played just 29 regular-season games. The Wolves survived the Play-In Tournament only to be bounced in the first round of the playoffs by the eventual champion Nuggets. They went all-in and traded for Rudy Gobert, but does that pairing work?
Minnesota knew they needed more talent and believed Gobert would make up for Towns’ defensive deficiencies. There have been mixed results so far, but it is a small sample.
Playing two big men is zigging when every other team is zagging. The league is going small and playing bigs off the floor in the playoffs. If Minnesota believes it cannot win with a KAT and Gobert frontcourt, especially as Anthony Edwards becomes a superstar, how can the Timberwolves break them up?
Trades Minnesota Timberwolves should make to split up Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert
5. Wolves get pieces and picks for KAT
Minnesota has a strong core and is just a few pieces away from being title contenders. Ant-Man is becoming a superstar, and the Timberwolves need him to be the alpha. They won’t get what they paid in return for Gobert, so trading Karl-Anthony Towns for a wing or point guard makes the most sense.
Can the Timberwolves get into contention just by adding pieces? Sending Towns to the Nets could allow Minnesota to pick up draft capital and a couple of capable rotation players that better fit their roster.
Dinwiddie and Finney-Smith helped the Mavericks reach the conference finals in 2022. Finney-Smith is a strong 3-and-D wing that won’t command the ball and is willing to guard any player on the floor. Dinwiddie adds ball-handling and playmaking. He is comfortable being the sixth man or starting in the backcourt and has plus-size.
The Timberwolves also get three first-round picks to use in future trades. Adding Dinwiddie and Doe-Doe to their top seven of Edwards, Gobert, Mike Conley, Kyle Anderson, and Jaden McDaniels is a strong group, and Minnesota can trade for a point guard upgrade if Conley declines further.
The Minnesota Timberwolves hope to get more for KAT and could hold out for a player that pushes them closer to title contention.