Karl-Anthony Towns’ first season with the Knicks last year was “the stuff movies are made of.” Unfortunately, if we fast forward to this season, there are already rumors swirling that he will be traded, and it’s not even February yet.
Between unforced turnovers, foul trouble and relatively non-existent defense, combined with his worst statistical season since his rookie year, both the Knicks organization and fans are experiencing the same frustrations that ultimately led to Towns’ surprise departure from Minnesota.
A report by Marc Stein shows that even though a transaction is not imminent, there is a greater than zero chance that he can find a new home.
“There remains a belief among some rival teams that Towns is in play to some extent. Or that the Knicks have at least tried to get a sense of what his market would be,” Stein said.
Where could Towns move?
A few rumored potential destinations for Towns include the Memphis Grizzlies, Milwaukee Bucks and Portland Trail Blazers. The Grizzlies would likely be a trade package centered around Jaren Jackson Jr., and the Bucks-Blazers trade would likely be in a deal that brings Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Knicks, with Towns going to the Bucks or to a third team (Portland makes sense because they have the Bucks draft picks).
Now that he’s coming off a career year in his new home, it’s crazy to think he could hit the road again, but the Timberwolves saw the writing on the wall with Towns, even though every fan, including myself, was confused when the trade fell through. It’s clear that Tim Connelly knew what others didn’t.
Wolves’ front office has proven to be a good fit for the trade
When the Wolves traded cities, they held on to a belief even as it came under scrutiny. Winning a championship with Towns as the second option is not a recipe for long-term success. They reached the Western Conference finals with him, but they knew they had reached their ceiling with him.
The only way to cover up his defensive shortcomings was to trade him for the best interior defender of this generation. Towns’ shortcomings on the field, combined with his $55.1 million annual salary, were the right move to move on from him.
While Towns is still an incredible player, and will go down as an all-time Wolves great, Tim Connelly is proven right every day for this bold trade.
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