In 2021, Karl-Anthony Towns received pushback for calling himself the “greatest big man shooter of all time.” Three years later, Towns’ bold proclamation doesn’t seem that far-fetched.
The Timberwolves center has knocked down 1.7 threes per game at 39.8 percent through his nine seasons in the league. Even the great Dirk Nowitzki managed only 1.3 threes per game at a 38 percent clip.
With that backdrop, how exciting would it be to see Towns paired up with Stephen Curry, the consensus greatest shooter ever?
According to The Ringer’s Logan Murdock, the Warriors could make a run at trying to acquire Towns via trade this offseason.
“Golden State’s front office has also long kept an eye on Karl-Anthony Towns, who, depending on Minnesota’s playoff fortunes and projected luxury tax bill, could be available this summer,” Murdock wrote.
The report made it a point to mention the financial hurdles faced by the Warriors in their attempt to upgrade the roster around Curry. They have $174 million committed in salaries for the 2024-25 season, augmented by a $189 million luxury-tax bill.
According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the Warriors are expected to non-guarantee Chris Paul’s $30 million contract for next season and offer Klay Thompson in the range of $20 to $25 million. By doing so, the Warriors would get under the second apron and avoid paying such a hefty luxury-tax bill.
For the Warriors to realistically pull off a trade for Towns, who is owed $221 million over the next four years, they would have to build a package around Andrew Wiggins or Draymond Green and possibly include either Jonathan Kuminga or Moses Moody to entice Minnesota. There’s also the possibility of Thompson or Paul agreeing to go to the Timberwolves on sign-and-trade deals.
The Warriors don’t have the assets to get a deal done, unless, of course, the Timberwolves decide to dump Towns’ salary to shed their own mounting luxury tax.
