Karl-Anthony Towns came up in trade talks the Minnesota Timberwolves had before the 2023 NBA Draft, according to Ian Begley of SNY.
Many people around the NBA are keeping an eye on Towns’ future with the Timberwolves in the wake of Anthony Edwards signing a five-year maximum contract extension that could be worth up to $260 million.
“There were talks between the Timberwolves and other teams before the draft and Towns’ name came up,” Begley said on Zach Lowe’s podcast. “I don’t know how aggressive the Timberwolves were with Towns, if at all.”
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.
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.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Karl-Anthony Towns & Minnesota Timberwolves Updates
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.”
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