Three NBA insiders are keeping an eye on Karl-Anthony Towns’ future with the Minnesota Timberwolves in the wake of Anthony Edwards signing a five-year maximum contract extension that could be worth up to $260 million.
Tim MacMahon, Jamal Collier and Marc J. Spears of ESPN think Towns is a player who has flown under the radar in free agency but could be a big storyline at the 2024 February trade deadline.
“There has been some discussion about Towns, but it shouldn’t be a surprise if that gets much louder as the trade deadline nears,” MacMahon wrote. “The face of the franchise for the Timberwolves has transitioned to Edwards, fresh off signing a new potential supermax extension. If Minnesota is going to make another major change, it would need to be by trading Towns.”
Added Collier: “Minnesota did not live up to expectations last season, and had Towns not missed such a significant portion of the campaign with an injury, there might already be more questions surrounding that roster.”
Towns signed a four-year, $224.2 million designated veteran player extension with the Timberwolves in July 2022. Minnesota hasn’t gotten past the first round of the playoffs in the KAT era, which began in 2015-16.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Karl-Anthony Towns & Minnesota Timberwolves Updates
The 27-year-old Towns averaged 20.8 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.8 assists last season while shooting 49.5% from the field, 36.6% from beyond the arc and 87.4% from the free-throw line. The three-time All-Star only played in 29 games due to a serious calf injury.
“I’m keeping an eye on Towns,” Spears said. “It’s the Anthony Edwards show now.”
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Karl-Anthony Towns & Minnesota Timberwolves Updates
Minnesota lost to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the 2023 playoffs in five games and Towns and Rudy Gobert weren’t a good fit together in the frontcourt. It’s going to be interesting to track Towns’ future with the Timberwolves moving forward, especially since it appears Edwards is the new franchise player.
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