The Minnesota Timberwolves improbably won their matchup with the Brooklyn Nets on Monday at home in overtime without their two stars, Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, amid trade rumors surrounding the former Kentucky standout. While Towns and Wiggins were sidelined, big man Gorgui Dieng spoke about where the Timberwolves are without their top talent and how good they could be when the pair of players return to the hardwood.
It was a pointed message to the young stars, per Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic:
“If you have your top players, they see how hard we play when we’re limited, and when they come back, they should do even better, because they’re talented,” Dieng said. “We don’t have the talent they have. They’re way (more) talented, and they’re better basketball players. So hopefully, when they get back, they can give us the same energy.”
Towns has been in the news due to reports that he is “unhappy” with the direction of Minnesota. The New York Knicks and Golden State Warriors are two organizations monitoring the All-Star center's situation. Towns signed a five-year contract extension worth nearly $160 million in 2018 and is currently in the first year of the new deal.
There is very little reason to think the Timberwolves would consider trading Towns since he's in the first year of that massive contract, and both the team and the star are trying to downplay these rumors. However, opposing teams will continue to monitor the situation and look to strike if he actually becomes available.
Karl-Anthony Towns has been out with a knee injury, while Andrew Wiggins is dealing with an illness. The Timberwolves have stumbled to a 12-20 record, but they're only 1.5 games behind the San Antonio Spurs for the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference.
Hopefully, Gorgui Dieng's message will get across when the two young stars return.
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