It has been a long offseason of extensive NBA trade rumors. Fans of the Minnesota Timberwolves have had to endure trade talks surrounding Karl-Anthony Towns for many months. Just like in years past, those rumors did not end up amounting to anything.
By all accounts, the Timberwolves look prepared to run their current roster back this coming season. They have all the faith in the world that Towns will bounce back from his 2022 calf injury and be a foundational piece of a playoff contending team once again.
At the same time, Timberwolves President and General Manager Tim Connelly will be keeping his options open. A smart and tactful businessman, Connelly knows the kind of value KAT carries on the NBA trade market and will be listening to any and all potential offers.
The Timberwolves will still be keeping their options open with Towns
While there is a good possibility that Towns can bounce back and be the All-Star level player he usually is this coming season, a smart front office knows that no one is truly untouchable. As such, the Wolves’ front office will have their ears open.
With Towns’ massive contract extension set to kick in at the start of the 2024-25 season, he will become one of the highest-paid players in the NBA. If Minnesota ends up with a solid trade proposal on their hands, finances will be a major motivation to make a move.
There has been a healthy amount of interest around the league in Towns this summer as trade rumors swirled. One team that could make sense as a destination in a potential trade is the Milwaukee Bucks.
In a trade proposed by FanSided, the Minnesota Timberwolves would send Karl-Anthony Towns to the Bucks where he would pair up next to perennial MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo. The deal would allow Milwaukee to get younger and would finally give them another star player to put next to Giannis in the frontcourt.
The full details of the proposed trade are listed below. The Wolves would send KAT and Mike Conley to the Bucks, getting back Jrue Holiday, Bobby Portis, Grayson Allen and MarJon Beauchamp in return.
This is a deal that would have major implications around the NBA. The Timberwolves would be flipping two of their starting players, but getting back a haul of productive rotation players from Milwaukee.
If the Bucks have any interest in acquiring Towns, it would likely be rooted in their desperation to tweak the roster, with hope that doing so would keep Giannis Antetokounmpo in town. Giannis was recently quoted saying that he will not sign an extension with Milwaukee unless he feels everyone is bought into winning a championship.
With that declaration by the 2021 Finals MVP, it is obvious that the Bucks’ front office will be scrambling to do everything they can to avoid losing their franchise player. But would this move be a good deal for the Timberwolves or the Bucks?
Minnesota Timberwolves trade grade: A
While we know that the Timberwolves are likely not looking to move off either Karl-Anthony Towns or Mike Conley right now, this is a very solid return for the duo. Positionally, Minnesota would be getting exactly what they need relative to what they lost.
The Wolves would be rolling out a starting lineup of Jrue Holiday, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Bobby Portis and Rudy Gobert. That is an extremely talented and versatile lineup, particularly on the defensive end.
Minnesota would be making a major upgrade from a defensive standpoint at point guard. While Mike Conley is no slouch, Holiday has made all-defensive teams in each of his last three seasons with the Bucks. He would sure up a Timberwolves backcourt that would give opposing players major problems on offense.
Bobby Portis could likely fill in at starting power forward nicely as well. While he is a far cry from Karl-Anthony Towns offensively, he still shoots a respectable 38% from three for his career. He would provide enough spacing to prevent Rudy Gobert’s life from being miserable. The cherry on top of this deal for Minnesota is the additional two role players that can provide help off the bench as well.
Milwaukee Bucks trade grade: B
As good as this trade is for the Wolves, it likely works out nearly as well for the Bucks, too. While they would certainly miss the perimeter defensive prowess of Jrue Holiday, Mike Conley would bring his solid distributing and playmaking skills to Milwaukee’s starting five.
Karl-Anthony Towns would return to his more natural position at center. His unique offensive gravity would do wonders for Giannis, allowing him even more space to rampage down the lane to the basket.
The only thing that keeps this from being an A for Milwaukee as well is the loss of two additional players on the bench in Allen and Beauchamp. Without them, the Bucks’ rotation becomes ever so slightly thinner, and so does their margin for error.
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