Karl-Anthony Towns Rumors

Wolves Notes: McDaniels, Gobert, Edwards, Towns

April 24th, 2024 at 2:10pm CST by Luke Adams

Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels had arguably the best game of his four-year NBA career on Tuesday vs. Phoenix, posting 25 points, eight rebounds, and three assists. The Wolves outscored the Suns by 24 points in the 41 minutes he played and were outscored by 12 points during the seven minutes he was on the bench.

As Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic writes, McDaniels has waited all year to shine on this sort of stage after feeling as if he let down his teammates last spring by punching a wall after the regular season finale, breaking his hand and ending his season. The young forward didn’t realize when he went to hit a canvas awning out of frustration that there was a concrete wall behind it, but still felt embarrassed about the injury — and distraught that he wasn’t available to help his club in the playoffs.

“I was sick just watching them play (vs. Denver in last year’s first round),” McDaniels said. “I just felt like it would have been different if I got hurt playing, trying to battle. Just hurting myself, I felt selfish.”

The incident didn’t dissuade the Timberwolves from investing long-term in McDaniels, who signed a five-year, $131MM rookie scale extension in the fall. But he has still been waiting all year for the opportunity to redeem himself in the postseason — through the first two games against Phoenix, he’s well on his way to delivering on that goal.

“His activity’s been on another level so far in two games,” head coach Chris Finch said of McDaniels.

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McDaniels’ strong play in the series vs. Phoenix certainly hasn’t escaped the notice of Suns head coach Frank Vogel, who suggested before Game 2 that his team needs to prepare a plan of attack for the defensive standout. “He’s outstanding,” Vogel said, per Jerry Zgoda of The Star Tribune. “His length, his athleticism, his quickness, his speed. He’s a great defensive player. We have to make sure we attack him the right away.”
Despite appearing likely to win his fourth Defensive Player of the Year award this spring, Rudy Gobert was voted in The Athletic’s player poll as the NBA’s most overrated player. No one within the Wolves’ organization feels that way though, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, who suggests that Gobert’s intensity and attention to detail are key reasons why the club didn’t lose three straight games all season. “There’s a difference between being the reason you win and being the reason you don’t lose,” Finch said. “And Rudy is the reason we don’t lose. He doesn’t let us lose these games. He’s been this way all season. He’s an incredible floor raiser and he just brings it and he knows when the team needs him to do this the most. That’s one of the many reasons he’s so valuable for us.”
ESPN’s Tim MacMahon published a similar feature on Gobert this week, exploring why the French center seems to rub so many of his fellow NBA players the wrong way — and why that no longer bothers Gobert.
Speaking to Taylor Rooks of TNT Sports (Twitter video link), Anthony Edwards expressed a belief that he and Karl-Anthony Towns are the NBA’s top duo. If the Wolves advance to the second round, they’d likely be on track to square off against another duo that believes it’s the league’s best: Nuggets stars Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic.

Pacific Notes: Leonard, George, Allen, Warriors

April 20th, 2024 at 11:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

Clippers coach Tyronn Lue has decided on his fifth starter if Kawhi Leonard isn’t available for Sunday’s series opener against Dallas, according to Janis Carr of The Orange County Register. Lue didn’t reveal the name, but Carr speculates it will be Amir Coffey, who started 13 games this season, often as Leonard’s replacement.

Leonard is still officially listed as questionable with inflammation in his right knee that has sidelined him since March 31. He was expected to take part in shooting drills at today’s practice with more movement than he did on Friday, but he still hasn’t participated in anything involving full contact since the knee began flaring up.

Lue said he’s not counting on any one player to slow down the high-powered Mavericks’ attack led by Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

“It’s on all of us. It’s not just one player or two players, it’s all of us collectively doing our jobs and doing it the best we can do,” Lue said. “It’s not on one or two guys, it’s on everybody to produce, as well as me and the coaching staff.”

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Paul George believes bad injury luck has prevented the Clippers from reaching their potential in the playoffs, Carr adds. George is making his return to the postseason after missing last season’s series with Phoenix due to a sprained knee. “Injuries happen. That’s part of the game (and there’s) no way of really avoiding it,” he said. “So, as much as chemistry and being on the floor together and playing the best basketball you could possibly play at this point of the season, a lot of it has to do with luck, too.”
X-rays were negative for Suns guard Grayson Allen, who left today’s game with an ankle injury, tweets Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports. Coach Frank Vogel told reporters that Allen has been diagnosed with a sprain. His availability for Tuesday’s Game 2 will depend on how he responds to treatment.
The Warriors will need to be aggressive on the trade market to have another chance at a title during the Stephen Curry era, writes Ron Kroichick of The San Francisco Chronicle. Kroichick suggests making a run at Karl-Anthony Towns if the Timberwolves are knocked out of the playoffs early or possibly Dejounte Murray if the Hawks decide to break up their backcourt. He lists Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant, Pacers forward Pascal Siakam and Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram as others who might be obtainable.

Karl-Anthony Towns Expected To Return Friday

April 11th, 2024 at 5:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

APRIL 11: Towns is on track to return on Friday against the Hawks, according to Charania (Twitter link). He was upgraded to questionable for the game.

APRIL 10: Towns is expected to play in at least one of Minnesota’s final three regular season games this week, according to Charania (Twitter link). The Wolves will visit Denver on Wednesday night before concluding the regular season with home games vs. Atlanta on Friday and Phoenix on Sunday.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link), Towns isn’t planning to play on Wednesday, but a return on Friday or Sunday is a possibility.

APRIL 9: The Timberwolves have confirmed in a press release that Towns has been cleared for full-contact 5-on-5 work and is “progressing toward his return to play.”

APRIL 8: Karl-Anthony Towns appears likely to return to the Timberwolves‘ lineup before the end of the season, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Towns took part in a team scrimmage on Sunday, marking his first action since undergoing knee surgery on March 12. He has been sidelined since being diagnosed with a lateral meniscus tear in his left knee following a March 4 game.

“KAT will be back,” Wolves teammate Anthony Edwards told reporters after Sunday’s game in Los Angeles.

Charania hears that Towns is “very, very close” to playing again and will likely be on the court for at least one game this week. Minnesota will host Washington tomorrow night before traveling to Denver on Wednesday and then returning home to face Atlanta on Friday and Phoenix on Sunday.

The Wolves have been able to survive for more than a month without one of their top players and are currently tied with the Nuggets for the top spot in the Western Conference at 54-24.

Towns, who earned his fourth All-Star selection this season, is averaging 22.1 points, 8.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 60 games while shooting 50.6% from the field and 42.3% from three-point range.

Northwest Notes: Connelly, Murray, Jokic, McDaniels, Towns

April 11th, 2024 at 10:59am CST by Dana Gauruder

Tim Connelly helped to build the Nuggets’ championship team. He has also been instrumental in turning the Timberwolves into one of the Western Conference’s top clubs. However, Minnesota’s president of basketball operations technically has the ability to move on to another organization, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported on FanDuel’s Run It Back program (video link).

The dispute between current Timberwolves majority owner Glen Taylor and minority owners Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore could cause Connelly to weigh his future in Minnesota.

“Tim Connelly has an opt-out in his contract after the season,” Charania said. “After year two, it was supposed to line up with this ownership transfer with Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore taking this team over.”

Connelly signed a five-year contract with the organization in 2022. Charania adds that Minnesota’s owners could rip up his current deal and give him an extension.

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In an interview with Altitude TV’s Katy Winge (Twitter link), Jamal Murray said he’d like to spend his entire career with the Nuggets. “I love Denver, I want to be here for the rest of my career,” he said. Murray’s current contract runs through next season. He can earn super-max contract eligibility if he makes an All-NBA team in 2024/25; he has missed too many games to qualify this season.
The Nuggets defeated the Timberwolves, 116-107, in a huge Western Conference showdown on Wednesday. Nikola Jokic likely locked up his third league MVP with a signature 41-point masterpiece, The Athletic’s Tony Jones notes. “I think we are on the right path,” Jokic said. “I think we are playing well. I like how everyone is locked in and focused, especially on the defensive end. I think we are at the point where everyone knows where to go, and everyone knows their job. We played really good defense tonight, especially in important moments. I really like the way we are playing.”
Karl-Anthony Towns is expected to return before the regular season ends. Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels said the team will get an “extra boost” when he’s back in the lineup. “We’ve just been trying to hold down the fort until he gets back,” McDaniels told Sportskeeda’s Mark Medina. “We’ve been doing pretty well. It shows how deep our team is. All of us can play. All of us are versatile. When he comes back, he will give us that extra boost. He will be another unicorn on our team. We’re going to love to have him back.”

Northwest Notes: Ayton, Murray, Wolves, Jazz

March 14th, 2024 at 5:22pm CST by Rory Maher

After an uneven first few months with his new club, Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton has been living up to his self-styled nickname (“DominAyton”) over the past several weeks, according to Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report.

“I think we’ve unlocked him,” head coach Chauncey Billups said. “We’re getting the best version of him. He’s been a monster.”

As Highkin writes, since January 24 — a stretch that covers 16 games for Ayton — the Bahamian center has averaged 20.0 PPG, 12.4 RPG, 1.1 SPG and 0.9 BPG while shooting 63.2% from the field and 94.7% from the free throw line in 33.5 MPG. In Wednesday’s victory over Atlanta, the 25-year-old scored a season-high 33 points (on 15-of-20 shooting) and pulled down 19 rebounds, the second time in three games he’s had at least 30 points and 19 boards.

“Coming into these games, I’m trying to do everything,” Ayton said, per Highkin. “Not only do my requirements, my role for this team, but do a lot more. That’s where I’m at. I’m more dominant. People like to laugh at it, but it’s the truth.”

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Nuggets guard Jamal Murray doesn’t hold any individual awards, but he knows he’s respected and feared by his opponents, he told Melissa Rohlin of Fox Sports. “Of course,” Murray said when asked if he thought he was one of the best players in the league. “And I strive to be the greatest. I want to be the best player ever. Obviously, if you don’t shoot high, then you’re never going to get there. I think (Nikola) Jokic is the greatest player right now. And I try to be a close second.” A brilliant postseason performer, the 27-year-old said he has his sights set on the award his teammate Jokic won last year: Finals MVP.
With Karl-Anthony Towns out at least four weeks following knee surgery, it’s natural that people would begin to question the Timberwolves‘ status as a postseason contender, despite their excellent season to this point — they’re currently 45-21, one game back of the top-seeded Nuggets. According to Chris Mannix of SI.com, Minnesota is embracing being an underdog. “We got a team full of dogs, man,” said point guard Mike Conley. “We got guys who want the opportunity that we have. It’s all uphill and people are doubting and that’s where we work best, I think. We’re just going to go out there and do what we do, block the noise out and kind of hold it down until he gets back and be ready to go.” The Wolves have gone 2-2 since Towns was injured.
The Jazz provided injury updates on three injured players on Wednesday, per Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune (Twitter links). Rookie forward Taylor Hendricks (toe sprain) was a full practice participant yesterday, while Lauri Markkanen (right quadriceps contusion) was a partial participant. Hendricks has missed the past three games, while Markkanen has missed four straight. Jordan Clarkson (right groin strain) did not practice. Larsen speculates that Hendricks could return on Friday vs. Atlanta, but the other two players may take a little bit longer to return.

Karl-Anthony Towns Undergoes Knee Surgery

March 12th, 2024 at 4:22pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns underwent surgery on Tuesday to repair a left knee lateral meniscus tear, the team announced in press release. He will be reevaluated in four weeks, the statement adds.

Towns obviously won’t return for the regular season. The reevaluation timeline leaves the door open for Towns to make it back sometime during the postseason, depending on how his rehab goes and how deep a run Minnesota makes.

Towns was diagnosed with the injury after his most recent outing on March 4 against Portland. The Timberwolves have gone 1-2 since Towns was sidelined, sliding to third place in the Western Conference standings.

Towns, whose career has been marred by long-term injuries in recent seasons, averaged 22.1 points, 8.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 60 games this season.

A Grade 3 calf strain limited him to 29 regular season games last season. However, Towns bounced back strongly this season, sitting out only two games until he experienced soreness in his knee.

Naz Reid has averaged 24 points and six rebounds the past three games. The team signed T.J. Warren to a 10-day contract, which expires on Friday, and he’s gotten rotation minutes off the bench with Reid sliding into the starting lineup. Warren is averaging 5.7 points and 2.7 rebounds in 17.0 minutes per night over the past three games.

Timberwolves Notes: Edwards, Conley, Towns, More

March 8th, 2024 at 6:33pm CST by Rory Maher

On Thursday in Indianapolis — Minnesota’s first game without injured big man Karl-Anthony Towns, who is undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee — the Timberwolves were led by an incredible performance from Anthony Edwards, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.

The fourth-year guard put up 44 points (on 18-of-35 shooting), six rebounds, three assists, two steals, two blocks and zero turnovers in the two-point victory. He also had a gravity-defying block to seal the game, hitting his head on the rim in the process (Twitter video link via the Wolves).

“I ain’t never jumped that high in my life,” Edwards said.

The 22-year-old wing will be even more vital to Minnesota’s playoff chances with Towns’ return timeline clouded by the surgery.

“We know that’s how he’s wired. He likes that. He wants that. He’s not afraid of that,” head coach Chris Finch said, per Krawczynski. “Then it’s all about making the right plays and making shots along the way. He did both tonight.”

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Veteran point guard Mike Conley tells Hanif Abdurraqib of ESPN that he’s been working with Edwards to improve the 22-year-old’s leadership. “There’s always some challenges,” Conley stresses. “Just due to our age differences, there are some ways I’m not going to relate. Some things that once worked for me aren’t going to work for Ant. And so I’ve had to learn personalities, learn what buttons to press, how to get across to everyone, and how to communicate. Ant has been receptive, he’s been open to improving on the court, and it has been smooth.” Conley also discussed his new two-year extension, the possibility of finishing his career in Minnesota, and the city’s enthusiasm for the team’s success, which reminds him of his time in Memphis.
It appeared as though Towns was finally settling into an ideal role with Minnesota before tearing his meniscus, according to Seerat Sohi of The Ringer, who says the Wolves will have to figure out ways to evolve without their four-time All-Star. Sohi suggests the team will need its wings to defend bigger players than they have been for much of the season, and a more aggressive defensive scheme could be utilized with the 7’0″ forward/center on the shelf.
La Velle E. Neale III of The Star Tribune argues the Wolves will still be successful without Towns — at least for the rest of the regular season — because the former No. 1 pick isn’t among their three most valuable players. Neale says Minnesota’s “true top three” is led by Edwards, Conley, and Defensive Player of the Year frontrunner Rudy Gobert.

Karl-Anthony Towns Undergoing Knee Surgery, Out At Least One Month

March 7th, 2024 at 9:11pm CST by Dana Gauruder

9:11pm: Towns will undergo surgery to repair his torn left meniscus and will be reevaluated in a month, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports (via Twitter). According to Wojnarowski, Towns is expected to make his return early in the Western Conference playoffs.

8:18am: Timberwolves forward Karl-Anthony Towns has been diagnosed with a torn meniscus in his left knee and is out indefinitely, The Athletic’s Shams Charania tweets. Towns has reached out to numerous medical professions regarding the injury over the last 24 hours, Charania adds (Twitter link).

Towns had been listed as out by the team’s PR department (Twitter link) for the team’s Wednesday road game against Indiana tonight due to left knee soreness. The injury has proved to be much more serious.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski paints a somewhat different picture regarding the injury. He indicates that it’s unclear how much, if any, time Towns will be required to miss, as the Timberwolves star forward and the team continue to gather information regarding the extent of the damage (Twitter link).

It’s a stunning blow for a team competing for the top spot in the Western Conference. The Timberwolves are currently tied with the Thunder at 43-19 with 20 regular season games remaining.

Towns, whose career has been marred by long-term injuries in recent seasons, is averaging 22.1 points, 8.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 60 games this season.

A Grade 3 calf strain limited him to 29 regular season games last season. However, Towns bounced back strongly this season, sitting out only two games to this point.

His production had dipped the past four games, as he failed to reach the 20-point mark in any of those contests. He played only 21 minutes against Portland on Monday, the second game of a back-to-back, and posted only 14 points and four rebounds.

With the trade deadline having passed a month ago, the Timberwolves have limited options to replace him. Backup big Naz Reid could slot into the starting lineup or coach Chris Finch could go with versatile forward Kyle Anderson. The team also signed T.J. Warren to a 10-day contract on Wednesday.

Northwest Notes: McDaniels, KAT, Edwards, Blazers Injuries, Kessler

March 7th, 2024 at 9:00pm CST by Tristan Tucker

With Karl-Anthony Towns out indefinitely, the Timberwolves are going to need Jaden McDaniels to step up on the offensive side of the ball in order for Minnesota to reach its potential, Michael Rand of The Star Tribune writes.

For most of the season, the Wolves’ late-game offense consisted of Mike Conley getting Towns and Anthony Edwards in the best positions to succeed offensively. With or without Towns, McDaniels getting more involved could increase the team’s ceiling, Rand writes.

McDaniels is averaging 10.5 points per game while shooting 50.5% from the field and 36.0% from deep this season. However, he’s taking roughly the same number of shots per night as Conley and Rudy Gobert, and with the Wolves ranking 26th in offensive rating in fourth quarters, Rand believes McDaniels’ high ceiling holds the key to Minnesota’s improvement.

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There’s no replacement for Towns and his All-Star production, but Conley expressed optimism in the rest of a roster that has helped the Timberwolves post a West-best 43-19 record this season. “We’ve got full confidence in our roster for guys to step up and make plays in his absence,” Conley said, per Alan Horton of Wolves Radio (Twitter link). “We’ve had some experience with this [last season] and we’re gonna have to do it by committee, there’s no way to take up what he does with just one guy.“
In their first game after the Towns injury news, the Timberwolves defeated the Pacers 113-111 behind 44 points from Anthony Edwards. Edwards exited for the locker room with a foot injury (Twitter link via The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski), but returned to propel Minnesota to the win with 16 points and a big game-sealing block in the fourth quarter.
The Trail Blazers are dealing with a plethora of injuries to key players as the season winds on, with Malcolm Brogdon (elbow, out since Feb. 2), Shaedon Sharpe (abdominal, out since Jan. 11) and Scoot Henderson (thigh, out since Feb. 15) among them. Head coach Chauncey Billups provided updates on that trio, according to Rose Garden Report’s Sean Highkin (Twitter link). Brogdon is doing more work but is still experiencing discomfort in his elbow while Sharpe has begun light shooting. Henderson is further along and could be back this weekend (Twitter link).
Jazz center Walker Kessler, who hasn’t played since Feb. 27, was a full participant in practice on Thursday, according to The Salt Lake Tribune’s Andy Larsen (Twitter link). While there isn’t definite news for his status in Utah’s Saturday game against Denver, it’s a step in the right direction, Larsen adds. In 51 games (17 starts) this season, Kessler is averaging 8.5 points and 7.4 rebounds.

Northwest Notes: Conley, Towns, Finch, Reath, Jazz

February 22nd, 2024 at 10:59pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Mike Conley, who agreed to a two-year, $21MM contract extension to remain with the Timberwolves, likely could have gotten a more lucrative deal in the open market, but he’s happy to be the floor leader of a prime contender, he told Chris Hine of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

“This organization is headed in the right direction,” said Conley, who is still seeking his first championship. “It’s got good people leading the way, people with great intentions and are trying to build a team that can compete for years to come. Give fans something to be excited about. So, organizations like this you don’t want to pass up on.”

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A phone call between Karl-Anthony Towns and Chris Finch just after Finch was hired during the 2020/21 season established a bond that had fostered the Timberwolves‘ resurgence, as both Hine and The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski write. “That was not lost on me at the moment, and it’s never been lost on me,” Finch said. “It’s been everything for the relationship. It points to really what a great person he is in terms of — he’s referred to himself as a servant leader. That’s what servant leadership is about. It’s what can you do to make those people around you, their experiences, better or easier? He paved the way for me in that regard.”
Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups is thrilled that Duop Reath was promoted from a two-way deal to a standard three-year contract. “I just love to see people get what they deserve,” Billups told Sean Highkin of the Rose Garden Report. “That was maybe the most happy thing that happened over the break, was being able to talk to him. He’s just so grateful and so thankful. That’s what this thing is really all about—to be able to bring somebody in who’s trying to make the league, bring him into Summer League and have him grow to a level where he’s getting an actual NBA contract is unbelievable.” Reath has a $4MM guarantee through next season and could make as much as $6.22MM through the life of the contract, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets.
The Jazz came close to trading for an impact player, The Athletic’s Tony Jones said on the Jackpotting Around Jazz Podcast (Twitter link). Jones didn’t name the “really good player” Utah was pursuing, but did say it wasn’t Dejounte Murray.