Would Karl-Anthony Towns be a good fit on the Sixers?
With rumors of disarray between Karl-Anthony Towns and the Minnesota Timberwolves, could the Philadelphia 76ers be a legitimate option for the All-Star?
This offseason could prove to be the most important for the Philadelphia 76ers in recent memory. The Process finally produced a playoff berth after a 52-win regular season, and despite a second round exit, never has the future been brighter for this squad. Yet, with that being said, they are still a few, some would say just one, pieces away from being true, legitimate contenders.
Brett Brown has made it a point to say that they specifically need All-Star-caliber pieces to make that a reality. And there certainly will be options on the table. The likes of LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, and Paul George could very much be on the move in the coming months, all of whom the Sixers have reportedly been interested in for some time.
And it seems as though another big-name talent could potentially join that group as well.
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As first reported by Dan Feldman of NBC Sports, rumors have been going around that Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns has been experiencing a “disconnect” with the T-Wolves’ front office over personnel changes. He also apparently “didn’t have the best season” with head coach Tom Thibodeau. As a result, teams have been inquiring about his availability apparently for some time now, with even the Clippers offering Blake Griffin for him at one point.
It goes without saying that Karl-Anthony Towns is one of the top big men in the league. The 2018 All-Star and New Jersey native is coming off a season in which he posted averages of 21.3 points, 12.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.4 blocks per game, while also shooting a career-best 42.3 percent from three-point range.
He’s elite in his ability to score and defend around the rim. So once reports of his dissension with management began to get out, it’s no wonder that teams would hop on the opportunity to gauge trade interest.
The Sixers could be one of them.
For the record, I highly doubt that Minnesota will end up dealing Towns. Adrian Wojnarowski even said that ownership would most likely deal Tom Thibodeau before considering a KAT trade. And when you think about it from Minnesota’s perspective, it makes sense. We just took a huge step forward this year in making the playoffs for the first time in 14 years. Why ruin that momentum going into next year by shaking up the squad?
But still, if somehow the Sixers put together a deal that manages to persuade the T-Wolves into sending them Karl-Anthony Towns, that could make the Sixers front court all the more intriguing. Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report came up with this hypothetical package:
Sixers get: Karl-Anthony Towns, Cole Aldrich
Timberwolves get: Markelle Fultz, Richaun Holmes, Furkan Korkmaz, 2018 No. 10 pick
SIXERS DRAFT PROFILE: Trae Young
On the surface, it’s not a terrible a deal. I would be very VERY hesitant about including Markelle in any deal, though. I’m still of the belief that he’s going to fix whatever was going on with him this past year and turn into the player the Sixers originally drafted.
Still, if this is how it were to go down, both sides would certainly benefit. Minnesota gets hopefully a healed Markelle, a high-energy guy in Richaun, a potentially solid shooter in Korkmaz, and a top-10 pick in this year’s loaded draft.
On the other hand, the Sixers gain an interesting fit. Versatility on the defensive end (especially around the perimeter), three-point shooting, and playmaking are the top three intangibles the Sixers are looking for in players this offseason. Towns can space the floor pretty well for a big man and can get at it down low, especially in the post.
Plus, when you pair him with Joel, you have two guys over 7-0 tall with pretty similar repertoires who can grab rebounds and protect the rim. A frontcourt trio of Simmons, Embiid, and Towns would be pretty formidable.
As fun as that would be, I still expect the Sixers to find All-Star talent elsewhere. The main focus in the coming months should be continuing to add wing depth, a weakness Boston exposed a great deal in the playoffs, whether it’s through the draft, free agency, or trades. Adding more big men is definitely not a top priority this offseason. But still, Karl-Anthony Towns would be a very intriguing addition to the squad.