Former NBA champion believes Timberwolves traded the wrong big man

The Minnesota Timberwolves are 12th in the Western Conference. Chris Finch's team has looked miles away from the unit that made it to the Western Conference finals last season. The additions of Donte DiVincenzo and Julius Randle have yet to have the desired effect at the beginning of the season. 

According to former NBA champion Kevin Garnett, the Timberwolves made a mistake by trading Karl-Anthony Towns during the summer. The Minnesota legend believes Rudy Gobert should have been the big man to leave the franchise instead.

“We just swept that whole Minnesota thing under the rug. You’re supposed to trade Rudy Gobert, keep KAT, and go on. You took a step back,” Garnett said during a recent episode of his "KG Certified" podcast. “You didn’t wanna pay the man? What are we doing?”

Towns is considered one of the best offensive big men in NBA history. He's already showcasing his scoring ability for the New York Knicks. Minnesota is sorely missing his partnership with Anthony Edwards, too.

Furthermore, Gobert's limited offensive skill set and inability to stretch the floor have left Minnesota struggling in the half-court. Gobert is either setting screens on the perimeter or working in the dunker spot. He doesn't possess the same gravity as Towns, and that's made the offense a little too predictable for opposing defenses. 

Yes, Gobert is an elite defender, but the trade-off has been too imbalanced for the Timberwolves to sustain. Finch must figure out how to get the best out of the current roster, including how to position Gobert in an impactful offensive role.

Garnett understands what it takes to win at the highest level in the NBA. He, like the rest of us, has also seen how impactful Towns has been since arriving in New York. Minnesota got caught penny-pinching, and now, it's paying the price. 

Gobert may be a multi-time Defensive Player of the Year, but in the modern NBA, he's not the type of big man who guarantees postseason success. Towns, on the other hand, has the potential to be that type of player.