NBA Rumors: Karl-Anthony Towns' situation at Minnesota Timberwolves monitored by teams
NBA teams have been put on alert that Karl-Anthony Towns could finally be on his way out of Minnesota. After the Minnesota Timberwolves made the playoffs last season, many hoped it would be more of the same this year.
With Anthony Edwards growing into his role, the team had built quite a bit of momentum this year by making it through the play-in tournament last year. In the offseason, the front office acquired former Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert.
While the move bolstered the roster, it also raised questions about their rotations. So far, the Timberwolves sit below .500 for the year, with a 31-32 record that sees them in ninth place in the Western Conference. With Karl-Anthony Towns nearing a return from a calf injury that has sidelined him since the end of November, there is hope internally.
Despite that, it's no secret that Anthony Edwards is reportedly unhappy. Should this season end up being a disappointment, teams could make a bid at the former All-Star. According to Timberwolves insider Jon Krawczynski, other teams are closely monitoring the availability of Towns during the offseason. He said:
“I can tell you from everyone that I’ve talked to within the organization, they very much believe in KAT. They believe that once he comes back and they have some time to build around ANT and Gobert and KAT, they very much believe that can still work. Chris Finch believes it. Tim Connelly believes it. They don’t have any plans to trade him.
“But if the bottom falls out of this thing and they go forward that way, there are going to be teams knocking on the door. I do think that overall, especially locally here, there’s a lack of appreciation among fans for what Karl-Anthony Towns is as a player.”
You can see his comments in the video above at the one-hour 25-minute mark.
Will the trio of Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert, and Anthony Edwards work?
The experiment of pairing two big men like Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns together is an interesting one to say the least. With the former DPOY handling interior-defense duties while Anthony-Towns provides the perimeter threat on offense, their games compliment one another.
Despite Gobert being an absolute force inside the paint, he has at times been a liability when it comes to perimeter defense. Earlier in the season when the two men were playing alongside one another, teams were absolutely decimating them from beyond the arc.
Due to their inability to efficiently switch with the two big men, teams made sure to capitalize. Whether or not they're able to figure things out before the end of the season once Karl-Anthony Towns returns, time will tell.
The three-time All-Star has one year remaining on his contract until he becomes a free agent. He also notably has a trade restriction that he cannot be traded until July 7.
If the latest rumors are in fact true, the fate of KAT's time with the Minnesota Timberwolves could depend on the next few weeks.