Wolves stuck with Karl-Anthony Towns after exploring his trade value?
The Minnesota Timberwolves may be stuck with Karl-Anthony Towns after exploring his trade value ahead of the 2023 NBA Draft.
It would be somewhat unfair to say that the Minnesota Timberwolves already regret the big move for Rudy Gobert. However, the fact that they have reportedly explored the possibility of trading Karl-Anthony Towns is not a great indication of the future of this team’s current core.
According to the report, the Wolves explore the market of KAT with other teams ahead of the 2023 NBA Draft. That would explain the somewhat out-of-the-blue report that suggested KAT could be traded this offseason.
Much of those whispers have quieted, however. But the fact that even occurred earlier during the offseason is something that can’t be swept under the rug. The Wolves shopped KAT earlier this offseason; that much is clear.
What does this mean for the Minnesota Timberwolves and Karl-Anthony Towns moving forward?
The big question stemming from this report or rumor is what does it mean for both the Wolves and KAT moving forward? Does this mean that the Wolves were not happy with the trade market for KAT and now they’re “stuck” with him, or was just this Minnesota preparing for the event that they get to a point where they’re ready to trade KAT that they already know what his value is?
It’s tough to say, but a decision will have to be made soon regarding KAT. If Minnesota is ready to build around Edwards and they don’t believe KAT is a positive influence on him or a good fit with him, it would be in the best interest of the team to trade him.
Additionally, it’s almost impossible for the Wolves to continue to build around Edwards with both Gobert and KAT’s contracts still on the books. Between the two players, Gobert and KAT are slated to make $77 million next season. And that number only rises over the following couple of seasons.
NBA Trade Rumors: Predicting when – and how – the Damian Lillard saga ends. dark. Next
All that said, being “stuck” with KAT is not the worst scenario for the Wolves. He’s an extremely talented player that is still just 27 years old. He’s a name to keep an eye on, however. He could very well be one of the next big names to be on the move. And now that the Wolves know what his trade value is, a path toward a KAT trade is that much more likely.