Since being selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns has successfully turned himself into one of the most dominant big men in the league. Unfortunately, despite establishing an impressive performance almost every night, the Timberwolves remain as one of the worst teams in the Western Conference.
With the Timberwolves likely heading into another huge disappointment in the 2020-21 NBA season, rumors are circulating that Towns may consider following in the footsteps of other superstars and start finding his way out of Minnesota in the 2021 offseason.
Karl-Anthony Towns Reunites With Coach Tom Thibodeau In New York
One of the most intriguing trade destinations for Towns in the 2021 offseason is the New York Knicks where his former mentor, Tom Thibodeau, is currently the head coach. Despite how things ended between them in Minnesota, Thibodeau is highly likely to welcome KAT in New York with open arms. The Knicks may be currently performing well in the 2020-21 NBA season but in order to have a legitimate chance of fully dominating the Eastern Conference and capturing the Larry O’Brien Trophy, Thibodeau must be aware that they need more star power on their roster.
Potential Knicks’ Trade Package To Acquire Karl-Anthony Towns
Bringing Towns to New York wouldn’t be cheap and would likely require the Knicks to pay the Timberwolves the king’s ransom. In a recent article, Brett Siegel of NBA Analysis Network came up with a blockbuster trade idea that would enable the Knicks to acquire Towns from the Timberwolves in the 2021 offseason.
In the proposed trade scenario, the Knicks would be sending a package that includes Mitchell Robinson, Immanuel Quickley, Kevin Knox, a 2021 first-round pick, a 2023 first-round pick, and the rights to swap first-round selections in 2022 and 2024 to the Timberwolves in exchange for Towns.
Knicks Add Another Impact Player Alongside Julius Randle & RJ Barrett
Trading for Towns would make a lot of sense for the Knicks, especially if they want to become a more competitive team in the Eastern Conference in the 2021-22 NBA season. Towns is expected to tremendously boost the Knicks’ performance on the offensive end of the floor, giving them a very reliable scoring option next to Julius Randle and RJ Barrett, a monster rebounder, a decent on-court facilitator, and floor-spacer.
This season, the 25-year-old center is averaging 24.6 points, 11.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.5 blocks while shooting 48.9 percent from the field and 38.4 percent from beyond the arc, per ESPN.
Why The Timberwolves Would Make The Trade
If Towns expresses his desire to leave, accepting the Knicks’ suggested offer should be a no-brainer for the Timberwolves. The proposed trade scenario would enable them to acquire enough assets to jumpstart another rebuild in the 2021 offseason. By sending Towns to New York, the Timberwolves wouldn’t only be obtaining a plethora of future draft assets, but also three young and promising talents in Robinson, Quickley, and Knox who could join D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards and form the core of the next title-contending team that the Timberwolves would try to build in Minnesota.
