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What the Timberwolves should do with 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.
Karl-Anthony Towns fouled out of Game 4 on this play.
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 29, 2024
Good or bad call?
pic.twitter.com/0CgILxl69G
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.)
️ 6MOTY pic.twitter.com/yx6U0LU52K
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) May 7, 2024
Yet, as deep as the Timberwolves looked this playoff run, when Anthony Edwards wasn't hitting on the offensive end, they lacked a true secondary scorer on whom they could rely. Towns has shown he isn't that guy, so Minnesota must go get that guy.
Here are two secondary scoring options Minnesota could look to acquire this offseason:
Jimmy Butler | Miami Heat
The last time Butler (20.8 PPG) was in Minnesota, things did not end smoothly. However, much of Butler's concern was due to the presence of Towns and Andrew Wiggins, both of whom would not be there if Butler were to end up in a Timberwolves jersey again.
With Heat president Pat Riley expressing uncertainty about Butler's future with the organization, Minnesota should make a call, as the forward is just who the Timberwolves need. The Marquette product has proved to be an elite playoff performer, averaging 27.1 PPG in his past two playoff runs and leading the Heat to a pair of NBA Finals appearances.
Butler is under contract for the next two seasons, with a player option for 2025-26, per Spotrac.
DeMar DeRozan | Unrestricted free agent
If the Timberwolves strike out on Butler, swinging a sign-and-trade for DeRozan (24 PPG) should be an option. DeRozan likes the Chicago Bulls, but he said in April he wants to "just have the opportunity to win." The Bulls have not made the playoffs in either of the past two seasons.
DeRozan would provide the supplemental perimeter scoring Minnesota lacks and has no problem operating in crunch time, ranking second in clutch points to only Golden State Warriors great Stephen Curry this past season.
More must-reads:
- Kevin Garnett sends warning to Timberwolves about Anthony Edwards
- Would OG Anunoby spurn the Knicks for the Sixers?
- The 'Five game-winning-drives in a season' quiz
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