The Minnesota Timberwolves' playoff run has ended, but at least they showed what they're capable of. They completely eviscerated the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the playoffs and ended up sweeping them. After that, they took down the defending champion Denver Nuggets. But a 4-1 loss at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks could prompt them to tweak their roster. If they go that route, perhaps they could trade Karl-Anthony Towns for a bounty to a team like the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis Grizzlies, or Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Wolves built an identity with size and length all over their roster and Towns' is a big part of that. But, if they wanted to move on from Towns, there is a case to do. But his play throughout the playoffs was far too erratic. Minnesota also has Naz Reid on their roster already who can take on Towns' role as a starter. If the Timberwolves elect to move in that direction, the Nets, Grizzlies, and Cavs would be nice spots for Towns.
Karl-Anthony to Brooklyn Nets?
It would be a stretch to say that the Nets *have* to do something. But, they are in the worst spot an NBA team can be in. They're nowhere near good enough to compete for a championship any time soon and don't have control of any of their first-round picks until 2028. Their options are very limited.
Their best bet at landing a difference-maker for their franchise through the draft is to pray on the Phoenix Suns' downfall after landing their first-round picks in 2025, 2027, and 2029. If they don't want to play the waiting game, they could try to dish those picks for a star like Karl-Anthony Towns.
Towns would provide a lot of what the Nets lack right now: offense. Brooklyn finished the regular season 23rd in the league in offensive rating. Every team below them was tanking for a good portion of the year. They simply don't have a go-to guy on that end of the floor. Mikal Bridges is a fine player but he is not the engine of an NBA offense. His 24.3% usage rate this season was the highest of his career per Basketball Reference, but his 52.1% effective field goal percentage was the lowest he's posted in six NBA seasons.
Towns would walk in and become the hub of Brooklyn's offense. He can play a similar at the four spot with the Nets as he is now in Minnesota with Nic Claxton anchoring their defense. This would be a nice fit for both sides if they were to pursue a deal together.
Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies did not want a calamitous 2023-24 season plagued by injuries. But at least they were rewarded for their hardship. They have the ninth pick in the 2024 NBA Draft at their disposal to look for upgrades on what was a 50-win team last season.
A trade featuring Marcus Smart, Luke Kennard, Brandon Clarke, and the ninth pick to the Timberwolves for Towns works financially. Memphis may need to include more draft capital, but if Minnesota wanted to double down on their defense, acquiring another former defensive player of the year would be a way to do so.
Karl-Anthony Towns would bring a physical, low-post presence they've never had in the Ja Morant era. He could defend bruising centers while Jaren Jackson Jr. roams off of non-shooters to protect the paint. Memphis' depth wouldn't take much of a hit either after the emergence of Vince Williams Jr. and GG Jackson this season. They were the lone two bright spots in a disastrous season for the Grizzlies.
The Wolves may not want to help a conference rival like this. But there may not be a better landing spot for Towns in the entire NBA than in Memphis.
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavs could follow a similar blueprint to what Minnesota is doing if they brought Towns into their program. He'd be paired next to a defensive anchor in Evan Mobley and could form a nice two-man game with an All-NBA guard in Donovan Mitchell. Cleveland is another team that could use Towns' shooting and low-post scoring as well.
The Cavs would likely have to part with both Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen to make this happen. But, Garland might be the best player the Wolves could get back for Karl-Anthony Towns, and he'd fill a lot of Minnesota's needs. This is a pairing that could actually happen and is worth monitoring.
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