According to reports, Timberwolves and Karl-Anthony Towns are ‘not in a good place internally.’ The Los Angeles Clippers can rekindle broken talks with Minnesota and make a trade for Towns before the draft.
Given the Los Angeles Clippers usual bad luck in the NBA Draft (other than Blake Griffin), they may be better off trading their draft picks for an established player. Who better than Karl-Anthony Towns, especially considering the timing of his situation with his team?
He is a much safer risk, if any at all, to build a franchise with. Additionally, head coach Doc Rivers prefers coaching proven players. A young star who has no set ceiling, such as Karl-Anthony Towns is the perfect steal at this vulnerable time.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are just coming off an early playoff exit of only five games. Although successfully ending a playoff drought since 2004, they were on verge of yet missing another playoffs. They barely made the cut, having to win game #82 in overtime in order to qualify.
The timing of this is so crucial, just coming off a season where they envisioned better. Chemistry issues with other teammates, a rocky relationship with their head coach, partnered with the fact he is due to sign an extension this summer means they may not hesitate to move him if Town’s will not look past these issues.
As if these issues were not enough, Jimmy Butler took to social media to mention his young teammates. He posted about not understanding what it takes to be in the NBA, assuming he was implying both Town and Wiggins. A restart might just be realistic for Towns in his early career.
Towns and coach Tom Thibodeau did not have a great season together, including the recent firing Town’s conditioning coach Vince LeGarza. This move shows Thibs is not worried about keeping the best relationship with Towns.
Trading Towns would solve a lot of issues for the Minnesota Timberwolves organization. Coach Thib could move on with a core of Butler and Wiggins, thus not leaving Wiggins as a third scoring option. Also, the Wolves expressed interest in Clippers center DeAndre Jordan during the season. Fortunately a deal could be struck around Towns for DeAndre and both Clippers first round draft picks, assuming DeAndre is willing to move to Minnesota.
Somehow if Jerry West and the Clippers can work out a sign and trade of Jordan for Towns, with or without draft picks, this will reward the Clippers immensely. The 22-year-old young star averaged 21.3 points and 12.3 rebounds a game and is also shooting an impressive 54.5% from the field and is only finishing his third season.
The Clippers cannot miss this chance to make a big move for their long-term future.