Timberwolves star center Karl-Anthony Towns has entered the league’s health and safety protocols, per the team’s PR department. McKinley Wright IV has also been placed in protocols.
They join a long list of Minnesota players currently in league protocols. Anthony Edwards, Patrick Beverley, Josh Okogie, Taurean Prince and Jarred Vanderbilt will also miss the team’s game against Utah on Thursday.
Towns and Wright will be sidelined at least 10 days, unless they can register two consecutive negative COVID-19 tests at least 24 hours apart during that span.
Towns was the Western Conference Player of the Week as the Timberwolves went 3-0 during the week of December 13-19, with victories over the Nuggets, Lakers and Mavericks. The former No. 1 overall pick averaged 28.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.3 blocks on .547/.375/.870 shooting in those three games (33.9 minutes per contest). Wright, a rookie, has appeared in one game.
Towns and his family have been affected greatly by the virus. Multiple family members, including his mother, died of COVID-19. Towns had his own battle after contracting the virus last winter, as he lost 50 pounds.
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