Dissecting a proposed trade that would send Karl-Anthony Towns to New York in exchange for Julius Randle and first-round draft picks.
Welcome to the small lull between the Timberwolves’ Summer League and the start of the Paris Olympics for Anthony Edwards and Team USA. What better way to fill the gap than with some juicy trade talk? Rohan Rahman from SI.com recently proposed a blockbuster three-team trade involving the Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks, and Atlanta Hawks, with Karl-Anthony Towns as the centerpiece.
The Trade Proposal
Here’s how the proposed trade shakes out:
- Minnesota Timberwolves receive: Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson, Bruno Fernando, Garrison Mathews, a 2026 first-round pick from New York (top-12 protected), and a 2030 first-round pick from New York (top-7 protected).
- New York Knicks receive: Karl-Anthony Towns, Kobe Buffkin, a 2027 first-round pick (via Milwaukee from Atlanta), and a 2025 second-round pick from Minnesota.
- Atlanta Hawks receive: Miles McBride, Jericho Sims, a 2025 second-round pick (via Denver from Minnesota), and a 2026 second-round pick (via Indiana from Minnesota).
All About the Money
Karl-Anthony Towns has been involved in numerous trade rumors. The perceived need to trade Towns has been spurred by the new collective bargaining agreement that has placed Minnesota firmly within the confines of the dreaded second apron. By moving Towns’ massive contract, the Wolves could gain significant future cap flexibility, allowing Tim Connelly more room to maneuver and maintain a championship contender.
However, as stated, Towns’ contract is hefty, making him difficult to trade, and there aren’t many players available who could immediately boost the Wolves’ title chances next season. Any realistic trade scenarios involving Towns are focused on the long-term benefits rather than the immediate future. Given the Wolves’ strong performance last season and their championship aspirations, it’s tough to justify breaking up the team’s current core.
Rahman’s Case for the Trade
Rahman points out that moving Towns could help Minnesota avoid a projected $84 million luxury tax bill. Whether the Wolves’ majority ownership will ultimately rest with Glen Taylor or the Alex Rodriguez/Marc Lore group is yet to be determined. Either way, an $84 million tax is a large pill to swallow.
Rahman suggests that the necessary replacement for Towns already exists on the Wolves’ roster in reigning Sixth Man of the Year, Naz Reid. Reid would provide a similar long-range threat from the forward position and performed admirably during Towns’ prolonged absence down the stretch of the 2023-24 regular season. Additionally, he advocates that Mitchell Robinson would provide another large body to pair with Rudy Gobert, allowing the team to maintain its size advantage over opponents.
Rahman argues that Julius Randle would provide adequate scoring and rebounding to the lineup to erase the deficts creates by Towns’ departure. Inserting Randle alongside Jaden McDaniels and Gobert could help the Wolves maintain their big lineup, necessary for competing with division rivals like the Denver Nuggets. On the downside, Randle’s health issues have been more significant than Towns’, who, despite some injuries, has shown up consistently in the postseason.
My Take on the Trade
Long-Term Benefits
The long-term upside of the trade lies in the two first-round draft picks from the Knicks in 2026 and 2030. The Wolves are short on draft picks after the Rudy Gobert trade and their recent draft-day move to acquire Rob Dillingham from the San Antonio Spurs. The Knicks picks could be valuable trade assets and provide flexibility for Connelly to tweak the roster further.
The Downside
Trading Towns would mean losing significant offensive firepower. Replacing Towns with Randle would lower the team’s shooting percentage and potentially stagnate the offense without Towns’ outside threat. As much as Naz Reid has managed to capture the heart of the fanbase, there is no hiding the fact that he disappeared during some key moments in the post-season. It remains to be seen if the sixth-man can be relied upon to fill in for an All-Star starter over the long-term. These roster changes may put undue pressure on rookie Rob Dillingham to contribute immediately, which isn’t an ideal scenario for a team aiming for a title run.
Adding depth to the roster is generally positive, but the proposed scenario would lead the Wolves to underutilizing talented players. A team can only play five at a time, and an overly deep bench might cause more headaches than benefits.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I’m not a fan of this trade. The window to compete for championships is often slim, and the Wolves’ window is open right now. Financial difficulties aside, the best move is to seize the current opportunity and run things back in the 2024-25 season with the core largely intact. Towns is a perennial All-Star and will always hold trade value. There’s no need to rush into a trade unless it’s clear the Timberwolves can’t compete for a championship.
The continuity of this team could pay dividends, with further maturation of Anthony Edwards as one of the league’s top stars, and improvements from players like Jaden McDaniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Naz Reid. Rookies Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr. may, in time, further bolster the team’s roster and alleviate the potential roster issues created by the team’s second apron restrictions. It’s fun to theorize about trade rumors, but the Wolves’ best chances for success next season lie in stability and trusting a team that was on the cusp of the Finals.