If the Minnesota Timberwolves have an early playoff exit again this season, Karl-Anthony Towns could be traded, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
The Timberwolves haven’t won a playoff series in the Towns era, which began in 2015-16. Anthony Edwards is the new franchise player in Minnesota after signing a five-year, $205 million extension this past offseason.
Some Timberwolves fans believe Rudy Gobert should be traded if the team struggles in the postseason again. However, Minnesota gave up a lot to acquire the former Utah Jazz star, so the optics would look bad if Gobert were traded.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves Updates
“The consensus among the NBA executives who spoke to HoopsHype is that if Minnesota loses in the first round of the playoffs for the third straight year, Towns could be the most likely member of the core traded,” Scotto wrote. “The executives based this assertion on several factors. Anthony Edwards emerged as the face of the franchise. Rudy Gobert has returned to his Defensive Player of the Year form, and Minnesota would never get back an equal return for what they paid to get him.”
Towns signed a four-year, $224.2 million extension with the Timberwolves in July 2022. He has career averages of 23.0 points, 11.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists. Towns has made three All-Star teams and two All-NBA teams.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves Updates
New York Knicks president Leon Rose used to be Towns’ agent when he was at CAA, which is why some people around the NBA believe New York will figure out a way to acquire Towns, who is averaging 21.2 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.9 assists this season.
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