The Minnesota Timberwolves clawed their way into the 2023 NBA Playoffs without an identity, seemingly without enough chemistry and with multiple questions heading into the upcoming offseason.

One of those questions is the future of star big man Karl-Anthony Towns, a highly talented player but one that might not fit the future of franchise considering his weird fit beside three-time Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Gobert.

Especially with KAT seeming like he needs to rediscover his love for the game.

However, this isn't just that. It's also because Gobert has less trade value than KAT due to a poor character reputation around the league, culminating with him punching his own teammate in the huddle just a couple of weeks ago.

Not to mention the fact that the Timberwolves seem to thrive more when they focus on the defensive end, which isn't Towns' specialty despite his pre-draft projections.

3 trade best destinations for Karl-Anthony Towns if Timberwolves end experiment with Rudy Gobert

Miami Heat

Karl-Anthony Towns fits the Miami Heat more neatly than he would with most teams, give the defense that Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo can provide around him. The fact that they also need a starting forward period is also significant, boosting KAT's value to the team like the Heat.

This trade could net the Minnesota Timberwolves two or three first-round picks, including the 18th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Minnesota could also land point guard Kyle Lowry and forward Nikola Jovic.

Lowry is an enigma at this point in his career. Following an injury-riddled 2022-23 campaign, Lowry has been moved to the bench and averages just 7.0 points and 3.5 assists per game in the postseason. That said, Lowry is still a veteran leader that the Timberwolves seem to desperately need.

Jovic, a player that's difficult to figure out himself primarily because of his inexperience, is an intriguing frontcourt player with guard skills at 6-foot-10. Depending on how the Timberwolves themselves feel about their player development, Jovic should become at least an x-factor at the next level.

The 18th overall pick, though landing outside of the lottery, is still one that could land them a rotation-level player in a relatively strong draft.

Charlotte Hornets

The Charlotte Hornets potentially have the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, which could potentially belong to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the future if they trade Karl-Anthony Towns to the Hornets. If they do have the fourth overall pick, then veteran forward Gordon Hayward could potentially be in the trade package as well.

If not — if the Timberwolves received the 27th overall pick (which Minnesota will receive from the Denver Nuggets) and a future first-round pick — then they could potentially get gritty guard Terry Rozier and defensive-minded forward Cody Martin.

Both Hayward and Rozier would help the T'Wolves defensively.

Though Hayward isn't quite the athlete he used to be after suffering myriad injuries, he isn't a lead-footed defender by any means. In fact, his defensive awareness and length allow him to be a useful on-ball and team defender.

With the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, the Timberwolves would have their choices between players like Overtime Elite's Thompson Twins, Villanova Wildcats forward Cam Whitmore, UCF Golden Knight big man Taylor Hendricks, or Arkansas Razorbacks two-way playmaker Anthony Black.

Rozier is a better point-of-attack defender. With Mike Conley Jr. as their starting point guard, and a combo guard in Rozier manning wing with Anthony Edwards, their perimeter unit would be a bit undersized perhaps but a strong defensive unit, nonetheless. They wouldn't be too easy to defend themselves though.

Meanwhile, the Hornets get to replace Miles Bridges with a much milder and more successful player in KAT. Though KAT isn't the player Bridges is defensively, his three-tier scoring is still much needed for a team that averaged just 111.0 points per game last season (27th in the NBA).

San Antonio Spurs

This is more possible if the San Antonio Spurs don't wind up with the first overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.

That said, the chance to draft Metropolitans 92 power forward Victor Wembanyama might not make a pursual of Karl-Anthony Towns impossible, as it's Wemby could frankly end up being better at center than power forward at the NBA level. While physical centers like Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, or even Steven Adams have a place in the NBA, many of the players he faces will be built more slightly, like him.

Nonetheless, if their pick in the 2023 NBA Draft isn't the top selection, KAT would be a nice consolation prize for their organization.

For the Timberwolves, the pick could be the chance to land do-it-all Alabama Crimson Tide forward Brandon Miller or perhaps explosive G League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson. Players that the Spurs organization might not have much interest in considering their perimeter talent.

Miller would be the better choice because of a simpler fit.

However, he and Henderson both have real star potential. Where Scoot thrives with his athleticism though, Miller is a great shooter, a high-level athlete, a smart playmaker, and useful defensively.

Whether or not he ever became a better player than Towns, he would be a better fit for them at either forward position.