NBA: Timberwolves’ Karl-Anthony Towns ‘could be traded in the coming weeks’
Timberwolves ‘Karl-Anthony Towns’ could be traded in the coming weeks with teammate Anthony Edwards’ massive contract extension looming’
- Towns is a free agent after the 2024 season, but Minny may have other priorities
- The T-Wolves paid a lot for Rudy Gobert and need to extend Anthony Edwards
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Is Karl-Anthony Towns on his way to Minnesota?
The former first choice is expected to be ‘long over’ for the 2024-25 season, with some rival executives saying the Timberwolves could trade him in the coming weeks, according to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report.
The problem from the Timberwolves’ perspective is the impending contract extensions of the team’s younger talent: Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels.
While Edwards is widely expected to get the maximum contract, or something close to it, the versatile McDaniels is seeking between $25 million and $30 million per season, Pincus reports. And that means some serious luxury tax issues for a mediocre team that owes Towns and Rudy Gobert a combined $77 million next season.
Towns will be a free agent after 2024, when the 27-year-old is still expected to have maximum or near maximum salary.
Cities (right) may be shared by Minnesota, which Anthony Edwards (left) has yet to extend
And given his declining production (his scoring and rebound were both lower in 2022/23 with the arrival of the Gobert and the development of Edwards), it’s Towns who could be on his way to Minnesota.
Gobert, meanwhile, owes $130 million over the next three seasons, and that was just part of the cost of bringing the former defensive player of the year from Utah before last season.
In a deal that has been widely panned by Timberwolves fans, the team also turned in five players, including promising rookie Walker Kessler, and as many as five future first-round picks.
Rudy Gobert (left) and Jaden McDaniels (right) may make it difficult for Minny to keep Towns
Pincus lists the Houston Rockets as a possible destination for Towns, suggesting he could be linked to James Harden, who is reportedly considering a return to East Texas.
The Timberwolves need a point guard, several of which are available in the upcoming draft, Scoot Henderson.
The problem is that Henderson is likely to be picked in the first three picks and the Rockets the fourth, so another team may need to be involved if a deal for Towns is to be worked out.
The San Antonio Spurs have the first pick and will undoubtedly take 7-foot-4 Frenchman Victor Wembanyama, while the Charlotte Hornets and Portland Trail blazers are second and third, where Henderson and Alabama’s Brandon Miller will likely be taken.