One NBA writer is proposing that the Miami Heat acquire Karl-Anthony Towns from the Minnesota Timberwolves in a blockbuster deal. Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report proposed the following trade idea between the Heat and Timberwolves:
Miami Heat receive: Karl-Anthony Towns
Minnesota Timberwolves receive: Tyler Herro, Caleb Martin, Nikola Jović and a future first-round pick
This trade would be tricky since Towns and Heat star Jimmy Butler don’t like each other at all. However, Buckley believes Miami needs Towns after missing out on Damian Lillard and Jrue Holiday.
“It doesn’t seem super likely, given his history with Butler and the fact that he doesn’t play on the perimeter,” Buckley wrote in his latest NBA trade column. “Then again, he is among the most skilled scorers in the NBA, and he could have a much easier time playing alongside Bam Adebayo than he has with Rudy Gobert. Adebayo has the quickness and versatility to handle the defensive assignments Towns can’t take on, while Towns’ sure shot from distance (career 39.5 percent) would give Adebayo (and Butler) all kinds of room to attack. The Heat have previously struggled against size, and the 6’11”, 248-pound Towns would be a (literally) big way of addressing that issue.”
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Karl-Anthony Towns, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves Updates
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 NBA All-Star 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 Towns era, which began in 2015-16. Multiple 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.
NBA insiders Tim MacMahon and Jamal Collier 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.”
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Karl-Anthony Towns, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves Updates
The Heat could start Kyle Lowry, Josh Richardson, Butler, Towns and Bam Adebayo if Miami’s front office acquired Towns from Minnesota.
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