The Minnesota Timberwolves’ 2022-2023 campaign was a disappointment and one NBA insider believes the best way for the franchise to quickly turn things around is to move on from one of their best players this summer.
Last offseason, the Minnesota Timberwolves made one of the biggest splashes by surprisingly giving up a king’s ransom for three-time All-Star Rudy Gobert. Beyond how much they sent to the Utah Jazz for the star center, the move was viewed with puzzlement since the team already has a talented seven-footer on the roster and the NBA has moved away from building winning teams through the frontcourt.
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Unfortunately, after suffering a calf injury early in the season, the Minnesota Timberwolves only got 29 games to see if the experiment of Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Anthony Edwards could work. To the surprise of no one, when they were able to barely reach the postseason as an eighth seed, they were quickly bounced by the Denver Nuggets.
It has left many questions for the team going into the offseason. Can this trio work? Was the Gobert trade a major blunder? Can Edwards finally mature? And has Karl-Anthony Towns hit his ceiling as an NBA star?
Minnesota Timberwolves record (’22-’23): 42-40
Towns is a player that ESPN NBA insider Tim MacMahon spoke about during a Wednesday edition of the “Howdy Partners” podcast. And in his mind, he just isn’t a winning player and it’s time for the Minnesota Timberwolves to seriously consider trading the player that has been their franchise face for the last eight years.
“I thought it was a weird idea in the first place [the trade for Gobert]. Certainly, a lot of people around the league would agree with that. I’m not high on KAT as a guy you can win big with. I think he’s a super-talented seven-footer. I think he’s a smarter, taller, version of Christian Wood, with better pedigree. I think he’s a great scorer. I guy who can put up numbers, [but] he’s not a guy you can win with. I would shop him this summer.”
– Tim MacMahon
It was noted during the podcast that the three-time All-Star’s value is far lower heading into this summer than in years past after playing in so few games this season. However, with only one year left on his contract, trading him now instead of the trade deadline may offer the Minnesota Timberwolves the chance of a better return in a deal.