MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - MAY 10: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the Minnesota Timberwolves looks on against the Denver Nuggets in the second quarter of Game Three of the Western Conference Second Round Playoffs at Target Center on May 10, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Nuggets defeated the Timberwolves 117-90. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
Direktor Otvreenog prvensstva Karl-Anthony Towns obraca se zalbama Karl-Anthony Towns…
Though Karl-Anthony Towns had a respectable season, the Minnesota Timberwolves would be better off dealing him.
Following a disappointing Western Conference Finals exit to the lower-seeded Dallas Mavericks and a looming $273 million payroll, anything short of a NBA Finals trip next season would be a letdown for Minnesota.
To reach the next stage, the Timberwolves must improve, as the margin for error is thin when trying to represent the loaded Western Conference. Towns (21.8 PPG and 8.3 RPG in 2023-24) decreases this margin, particularly in the playoffs.
Through 32 career playoff games, Towns has averaged 18.8 PPG on 46.8% shooting from the field compared to his career averages of 22.9 PPG on 52.4% shooting from the field.
Besides the offensive drop-off come playoff time, Towns is a liability due to his propensity to foul, often putting his team in tough spots. In nine of his 16 playoff games this spring, the big man had four or more fouls.
The offensive struggles and foul rate in the posteason are unacceptable for a player slated to earn $49.3 million next season. The Timberwolves are also above the second tax apron with Towns’ upcoming salary slot, giving them few avenues to improve.
Outside of Towns, the Timberwolves could also look to trade fellow big Rudy Gobert (14 PPG and 12.9 RPG in 2023-24), who is set to make $43.8 million next season. But Gobert’s ability to alter shots in the key is too integral to Minnesota’s success on defense and outweighs Towns’ erratic offense.
If the Timberwolves were to move on from Towns, they already have an extremely viable in-house promotion they could make in Naz Reid (13.5 PPG), who could take over at starting power forward. Reid had brilliant offensive moments this season, but the 2024 NBA Sixth Man of the Year has also proved to be an extremely capable defender (in the Western Conference semifinals, he was instrumental in slowing Nikola Jokic.)
