Karl-Anthony Towns has been in Minnesota since being drafted No. 1 Overall in 2015. Is this his make-or-break season with the franchise?
The Karl-Anthony Towns experience in Minnesota has been a strange one. After having strong regular seasons his first few years in the league, the spotlight shined on him, and not in a good way, once Jimmy Butler requested out of Minnesota.
Butler reportedly sensed a lack of commitment to winning from Towns, Andrew Wiggins, and other members of the franchise at that time. Since Butler’s dramatic exit, the team has rebounded slightly. Although, a poor trade for Rudy Gobert has stalled the process.
It’s clear that the draft selection and improvement of Anthony Edwards make Towns no longer the franchise savior as fans once hoped. However, the position is still available to be a solid second star for Edwards as he continues to grow.
Towns recently made buzzing quotes from his appearance on Patrick Beverly’s podcast, expressing how in the future, people will look back at him and say he “changed the game.”
With the organization concerned with their interior defense, they decided to push their chips for defensive center Rudy Gobert after a promising 2022 campaign. As expected, the fit was clunky, and Minnesota struggled to build consistency all year.
Minnesota’s move for Gobert in 2022 may tell more than just a team going for it with their young core and adding a star player to them. It could also mean the end for Karl-Anthony Towns in Minnesota.
Towns signed a super-max extension in the summer of 2022, so Minnesota had him in their vision for their future. However, with the team being underwhelming, a shake-up may be necessary.
Why KAT seems like the odd man out in Minnesota
Why Towns? He would garner interest from across the league, and maybe Minnesota can regain some draft capital along with a player who fits around Gobert better. Gobert’s trade value is little to none at this point.
It seems like the next move for Minnesota if they continue to move sideways.
Despite Town’s impressive talent, his inability to defend at a high level has shown in crucial games. He also has had a bevy of offensive playoff flameouts throughout his career. That could scare opposing teams away from pursuing him, but the star offense is there.
If the Timberwolves record improves and they have a successful season, that could be enough for Minnesota to keep Towns.
The success of the Timberwolves will depend on the jump Edwards takes, along with the two bigs finding a way to fit on the court.
Towns has had his fair share of injured seasons, and his inability to be a solid defender could kill the Timberwolves’ chances at competing in the post-season. Towns played a measly 29 games this past season, so the front office looks to be banking on having a more consistently healthy year from their stars.
Towns’ fate could go in two ways. If the Timberwolves succeed, he probably stays. If they disappoint, he could be moved to regain picks and young talent.
Considering how strong the Western Conference is this season, it’s likely Towns could be traded at some point. However, the team played well when he returned from injury last season, and Edwards has shined in the FIBA Classic.
Minnesota could have a lot to root for this season, or it could go down as another failed re-tool for the franchise.