"I think I'm one of the best offensive players and talents the NBA has ever seen" - Karl-Anthony Towns makes bold claim ahead of 2022/23 NBA season
Karl-Anthony Towns has had a lot of individual success since being drafted first overall in the 2015 NBA Draft. His Minnesota Timberwolves, however, have not, as they have only two postseason appearances and are yet to advance past the first round. This offseason, the Timberwolves made a blockbuster trade, acquiring Rudy Gobert to share the frontcourt with Towns.
Speaking with CBS Sports, Towns gave his opinion on what the addition of Gobert means for the Timberwolves. He added a point about himself that left many fans shocked, stating:
"I think that Rudy’s one of the best defensive players we’ve ever had in the NBA. He has the hardware to prove it. I think I’m one of the best offensive players and talents the NBA has ever seen so putting us together gives us really a whole spectrum of talent to use."
Karl-Anthony Towns' statements left many confused, as while he has been a very good offensive player, nothing that he has accomplished screams that he is one of the best offensive players in league history.
Adding Gobert to the Timberwolves should improve the roster, but questions remain whether Towns is even the leader of the team anymore or if that is Anthony Edwards, who led the Timberwolves in shot attempts last season.
Karl-Anthony Towns: ‘I think I’m one of the best offensive players and talents the NBA has ever seen’ ahnfiredigital.com/nba/minnesota-…
Read the full interview with Karl-Anthony Towns here.
Can Karl-Anthony Towns and the Minnesota Timberwolves win a postseason series?
The Minnesota Timberwolves have not won a postseason series since 2004, long before Karl-Anthony Towns was on the team. Their trade for Rudy Gobert signals that they believe they aren't far from contention, as the team gave up a lot of future assets to acquire the three-time defensive player of the year.
Towns, Gobert, and Anthony Edwards give the Timberwolves a 'Big 3' of sorts, however, they are not at the level of other trios we have seen team up. Edwards looks like a future superstar, while Towns and Gobert both have question marks surrounding their non-productive side of the ball.
Timberwolves new Big 3 in 2022:
Towns —
24.6 PPG | 9.8 RPG | 41.0 3P%
Gobert —
15.6 PPG | 14.7 RPG | 71.3 FG%
Edwards —
21.3 PPG | 1.5 SPG | 3.0 3PM https://t.co/12DAPzTStR
The Timberwolves did score the most points in the NBA in 2021-2022, however, they also allowed the seventh-most points. Adding Gobert should help tremendously with that side of the ball, although the team surely would have liked to still have Patrick Beverley around.
For Minnesota to become a true contender, Karl-Anthony Towns will have to back up his big claim as one of the best offensive players ever, while also improving on the less flashy side of the ball.