4 Unpopular trades Timberwolves should explore this summer

Shed KAT's contract

Perhaps the most controversial decision the Wolves could make this summer would be moving on from Karl-Anthony Towns. He has been the franchise's defining player for nearly a decade, and fans have rightfully grown more than tired of the rumors that he could be traded over the years.

Year after year, KAT has been one of the most reliable performers on Minnesota's roster. But with Anthony Edwards taking up the mantle of the Wolves' best player the last couple of years, things are shifting. It could ultimately be in the team's best interest to move on from Towns.

The biggest reason being KAT's contract. As everyone knows, the Timberwolves officially inked Towns to a massive four-year, $221 million extension in 2022. That new deal will finally kick in next season, when he will earn a base salary of $49.3 million.

By the 2027-28 season, he will be earning a $61.1 million base salary. That is a hefty amount to consider paying a player that will presumably not even be the best player on the roster. No contract is untradeable in the NBA these days, and the Timberwolves will want to get a considerable haul back for their skilled big man. KAT will always be beloved in Minnesota, but his time in the Twin Cities could be numbered.