Asked about the possibility of signing a contract extension, Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns said “things will happen this summer,” Dane Moore tweets. It sounds as if Towns is intent on remaining in Minnesota for the long haul
“I love this city,” Towns said after the team was eliminated by the Grizzlies on Friday night. “So obviously things will happen this summer (and) when they happen, they happen. … I’ve been here long enough to know everyday things can change, so just be happy with where everything is at right now.”
Towns would be eligible to sign a four-year, $210.9MM super-max extension if he’s named to an All-NBA team, according to Bobby Marks of ESPN. If doesn’t make one of those three teams, a max extension would be worth $130.7MM over three years.
We have more on the Timberwolves:
- D’Angelo Russell‘s subpar performances in the series could impact a potential extension for the guard, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic notes. Russell was replaced by Jordan McLaughlin in the fourth quarter of Game 6 as his offensive struggles continued. Russell scored 22 points in Game 3 but no more than 12 in any of the other five games. It remains a question about what lengths the Wolves are willing to go to keep him, Krawczynski adds. Russell is extension-eligible this summer and Minnesota can offer a four-year contract that begins in the 2023/24 season.
- The Timberwolves blew another big lead in Game 6 and coach Chris Finch said they have to learn not to beat themselves in key moments, Chris Hine of the Minneapolis Star Tribune writes. “This is a really, really good team down the hallway,” Finch said of Memphis. “They don’t beat themselves. We don’t have that in us yet.” It could lead to some roster adjustments, Finch adds. “This just provides us with the foundation to keep moving forward,” he said. “We know what this experience can do for us headed into the offseason. What we have to do better, our habits with our roster. Everything.”
- Towns expressed gratitude to the Grizzlies for making his team realize what it takes in the playoffs, according to Evan Barnes of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. “Being totally honest, I thank the Grizzlies for making us a better team, for us giving good fight, good series,” Towns said. “I think we all knew what this series was going to be and I think both teas showed why they deserve to be in the playoffs and why they deserve to have this chance to show what they can do.”
- Depth at small and power forward are the team’s biggest needs, Marks wrote in his offseason guide. The franchise is in pretty good shape in terms of assets and the salary cap. It has four picks in the draft (three second-rounders), the mid-level exception, a $4.8MM trade exception and $50MM in expiring contracts.
A) Not sure how I feel about thanking a team for eliminating you from the playoffs
B) That’s a wild spread (90m) between KAT making All-NBA or not
C) Russell’s series stat-line:
6G
32.7MPG
12.0PPG
6.7APG
2.5RPG
.333/.387/.750
Looks like a $5m a yr player in Russell
Russell let down the Nets in the 2019 playoffs too, even more, his only other playoff. I recall him looking down at rest then, like he did coming into the game yesterday.
The Wolves were much better with McLaughlin running things.
I still find it insane that a group of a dozen or so writers who vote all nba decides whether or not a guy earns an extra $90 million.
Yup it’s nuts but I kind of see both sides on the All-NBA thing.
On the one hand, people like Simmons can be annoying about it, bloviating about how serious they take it, how historical it is, blah blah blah. But then at the same time making blood feud arguments against LeBron and lacking the ability to go 3 minutes without saying “It’s like with the Celtics…”
On the other hand, any committee is going to have its biases. And if you tie salary incentives to performance based metrics you’re going to turn a significant portion of the league into Russell Westbrook-level stat padders.
I would say maybe tie the incentives to advanced stats that are harder to game, but I’m sure that would cause a riot amongst the portion of the league that think advanced stats are nerd sophistry.
Trade D-Lo
Trade Beasley
The poor play of both Russell & Towns is why the Timberpuppies will be watching the playoffs on TV.
When he declared after his freshman year at Ohio St, I thought Russell would be a stud. He’s been a disappointment.
Russel is a 6th man off the bench type player. He can score you a lot of points at times but plays very poor defense. GSW found that out in less than 1 year. Just like the guy he was traded for both Russel and Wiggins will probably sign for half of what they received this year.
Wiggins was one of the leagues top defenders this year and was efficient on the floor. Made his first all star.
Don’t compare Russel and Wiggins. Wiggins is by far the better player.
KAT is no longer their franchise player. In reality, Edwards has taken over. Bigs tend to get overrated. In the modern NBA, the 3pt shot is king. As a result, wings are more valuable and relevant than bigs. Look at almost all the teams who have built around bigs. All eliminated. It wouldn’t surprise me if KAT, Jokic, Siakam, Gobert, go on the trading block this summer.
You are silly with trading block talk.
Siakam is hardly a center and you are late with your trend-spotting.
PHL and MIA have centers as their best players. Towns’ problem is not that he’s a center.
He’s so late he actually missed the trend and it’s now actually reversing.
Yup the issue with KAT isn’t his position it’s his defense and decision making, both of which were display in this series.
Having said that I do agree this is definitely Edwards’ show going forward, which might actually be a good thing for KAT, as he’s probably better suited as a #2 on a really good team
KAT shoots that thang! 40% from behind the arc for his career. “The 3pt shot is king” Kat is one of the best offensive bigs in the league. By far the best shooting big. Offense has never been the issue with KAT, his defense is what kills him.
And to say that it wouldn’t surprise you to see Jokic on the trading block, that’s insane.
Why would the Nuggets want to trade their 27 year old superstar, who is the best center in the league ?
@Bright
You’re comment was kind of on the DULL side. See what I did there? You mention that the 3pt shot is king and as a result wings are more “valuable and relevant” than bigs. But you make the mistake of lumping all bigs together. KAT isn’t your typical big. In terms of 3pt shooting did you forget that he win the 3pt shooting contest this year? Did you forget he shot 41% from the 3 this year? And it’s not flukish as his career% is 40%. KAT led the team in 3pt shooting and was considerably higher than Edwards.
Now that doesn’t mean Edwards CAN’T become the leader of the team but as of now KAT is probably their best overall player
53%/41%/82% on 25/10/4 with a block and a steal iss amazing. The only thing he needs to work on is more aggressiveness and consistency in the playoffs. Time can help with that.
@Bright Side… it bores well for KAT if the 3pt is king as he is a top 10 shooter in the league, much better than most guards & wings, right?
Use Russell’s contract + picks in a S&T for Bradley Beal?
But why would Washington do that? If they want to move Beal I can’t believe they wouldn’t find a more enticing package than this
They probably can, it’s going to be Beal’s choice really. But they should explore all options and Beal is probably one of the best options available to them.
Dlo trade ideas:
1. Dlo for Kyle Kuzma and KCP
2. (My favourite)
TWolves: Gordan Hayward and PJ Washington
Knicks: DAngelo Russell and picks 45 and 50
Hornets: Julius Randle and Kemba Walker
3. Dlo and Malik Beasley for DeAaron Fox and Richaun Holmes
1. Wizards build around Beal by getting him Dlo. Dlo Beal Hachimura KP makes a interesting side. TWolves get another scorer and a forward in Kuzma plus another wing defender in KCP.
2. Dlo back to New York and can be the franchise point guard plus they get two second round picks. TWolves get Hayward and Washington for SF and PF. Hornets get Randle and Kemba returns back to Charlotte. Ball Rozier Bridges Randle is cool and Kemba playing the 6th man role.
3. Sacramento does a Sacramento. Trading their point guard Fox for Dlo. They now have Dlo Beasley Barnes Sabonis which is interesting but not winning anything. TWolves get a future point guard to build around Ant with. Fox Ant Kat all the animals lol
Towns will become a better player when he gets the mental side figured out. His brief experience with KG taught him about playing with intensity but too often this series that meant him getting inside his head after a call didn’t go his way. I like the kid and he can play. If Edwards takes another big step forward this summer I like their chances next year for a first round win.
Two sides of the coin with Patrick Beverley. On the positive side I think he was a big reason Minnesota had a pretty successful year. He brought toughness and intensity and defense and showed the young guys what it takes to win. All very important.
The downside is that Beverly tried to be an actual NBA starting point guard. That’s not the skill set in his bag. You could see time and time again when he would take on that role and fail. And.., what the heck was he doing taking that critical shot at the end of the game with the season on the line? For all the positives he brought to the Wolves this year he tried to do too much and play a role Beyond his capabilities.
Play to your strengths, trade D’Angelo for Westbrook. They would be undefeated through 3 quarters
Russel may have been a let down in the series…but when you cough up 3 double digit 4th quarter leads…that falls squarely on the shoulders of Chris Finch. Lack of coaching ability cost this team. Plain and simple.
There’s a reason Dlo has had 4 teams in 8 years… teams get a closer look and know he’s most valuable in a trade, not on the court. Only reason he’s lasted in Minnesota is his relationship with KAT.