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It's pretty easy to shower some hate on Karl-Anthony Towns for some people in the hobby. For one, the Minnesota Timberwolves' All-Star center has a reputation of being soft, an issue that reportedly stemmed from his conflict with Jimmy Butler. Another is the Wolves' failure to change their narrative for the past few seasons as they continue to miss the postseason. But while these concerns have taken root, the other side of the coin can compel collectors that KAT's rookie cards in the market have untapped potential that deserves more attention.
As opposed to the hotter names in the hobby, like Luka Doncic and Ja Morant, Town's stock largely go unnoticed. Here are some solid reasons why those Karl-Anthony Towns rookie cards deserve more love.
Towns' offensive ceiling is ridiculous
When KAT said he was the best shooting big man in the NBA, there could have been some truth to it. While he still has a lot to accomplish before he passes Dirk Nowitzki, the talent Towns has, not only as a shooter, but as an offensive player as a whole is certainly intriguing.
Take Towns' performance in 58 games this season. He's currently averaging 24.6 points by connecting 52% of his field goals, 40% from beyond the arc, and 81% from the free throw line. KAT is also adding 9.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.1 blocks, and a single steal in 34 minutes per contest.
Those numbers make Towns a coveted player in the league. He's a big man who can stretch the floor, score from anywhere, and draw double teams to free up his teammates. And while his playmaking can use some improvement and his defense isn't DPOY-material, the upside on offense definitely helps overcome those weaknesses.
A good example of Towns' ability to take over games from an offensive perspective can be seen when the Timberwolves visited the Houston Rockets earlier this year. In that contest, KAT notched 40 points by hitting 60% from the field, connected 66% from downtown, and hit 75% from the foul line. Apart from grabbing 9 rebounds and a lone steal, Towns dished 7 assists in 33 minutes on the court.
As it stands, Towns' ability to score is his main calling card. If he manages to develop a killer instinct, develop his playmaking, and take his defense to the next level, collectors will see a brand new unicorn in the NBA.
This is the best Minnesota Timberwolves squad in a long time
Without a doubt, the best team Minnesota has ever assembled was during the 2003-04 season. With Kevin Garnett, Latrell Sprewell, and Sam Cassell in the lineup, the Wolves made it all the way to the Western Conference Finals, where they eventually lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in a best of seven series.
During that memorable run, Garnett led Minnesota with 24.2 points, 13.9 rebounds, 5 assists, 1.5 steals, and 2.2 blocks per game. But while today's Timberwolves don't have a massive talent like Garnett in their roster, it's shaping up to be a promising team for the years to come.
The Timberwolves are 11-4 in their last 15 games.
Minnesota on the rise. 👀 pic.twitter.com/qmMG48JkM5
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) March 5, 2022
While Towns' role as the Timberwolves big man is solidified, it's the guards and wings that have posed roster problems for Minnesota for the longest time. Just a few seasons ago, the team experimented with lineups that involved Jimmy Butler, Ricky Rubio, Zach LaVine, Andrew Wiggins, Robert Covington, and Dario Saric, among others. Although these guys are talented enough to elevate Minnesota, there seemed to be a lot of different reasons why previous iterations of the team failed.
The Timberwolves have the NBA’s best offense in 2022. pic.twitter.com/YwzJHmwgay
— StatMuse (@statmuse) March 1, 2022
In this season, it seems something is starting to work with the Timberwolves' current lineup. Apart from Towns, Anthony Edwards, D'Angelo Russell, Jaden McDaniels, Patrick Beverly, and Malik Beasly are stepping up in their respective roles. And this development can be clearly seen in the numbers with Minnesota in 9th place in offense (113.1), 13th in defense (110.5), first in points scored per game (114.4), and second in pace (100.6).
With Towns as the Wolves' number one option, the team is now 7th in the Western Conference with a 37-29 record, which is better than the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers. If things go according to plan, they can make the playoffs with a team that's starting to come together at the right time.
The state of Karl-Anthony Towns rookie cards in the market
Towns' stock in the market hasn't reflected the Timberwolves' improved record this season. As shown below in a three-month graph by Card Ladder, KAT's PSA 10 base Prizm rookie card hasn't moved that much during the given period.
From a starting price of $138 late last year, the said card's value has gone down to $135. That's only a 2.10% drop from 79 confirmed sales of the graded rookie card.
Towns' more coveted rookie card, his PSA 10 Prizm Silver, is also on a short-term downtrend, albeit a much acceptable one for those who have invested in the All-Star center.
In another graph by Card Ladder, the card's value has dropped from $775 to $650 over 6 confirmed sales. That's only a 16.13% decrease over a similar period. All things considered, this isn't a sharp decline and these figures still have every chance to bounce back in the near future. Of course, that increase depends on how well Towns performs and if the Timberwolves can lock a playoff spot in the coming weeks.
The verdict on Karl-Anthony Towns rookie cards
As mentioned earlier, the key to Towns' stock is two-fold. First, he has to walk the talk by proving he can be the best shooting big man in the league right now. That, and continue dominating on the offensive end of the floor.
Second, Towns has to lead the Timberwolves to a playoff spot. From there, they should put up a good fight against anyone pitted against them in a series. If KAT performs at the highest level, it can finally erase all doubts and prove to those in the hobby that he isn't soft.
In the event KAT gets these two things done, the market will react to his rookie cards in a positive manner. Keep in mind that this potential improvement in his stock can only be for the short-term as the Timberwolves' chance of even reaching the Conference Finals is slim and prices of sports cards will drop during the offseason. In any case, it's best to grab those Karl-Anthony Towns rookie cards at the bottom to keep things safe.
