Karl-Anthony Towns could be Dark Horse Target for Celtics

With Al Horford openly stating he will most likely not be back on the Boston Celtics next season, the team will be all in for another big man in the off-season. In a Brad Stevens offense in which all five players on the floor need to shoot, Karl-Anthony Towns may be the perfect target.

While Karl-Anthony Towns may seem like a “too good to be true” scenario for the Boston Celtics, there are chips that have fallen throughout that NBA that has made Towns expendable, and made Boston a prime destination. Towns is entering his second year of a five-year, $190 million max deal in Minnesota. With the Wolves not competing for a championship any time soon, they may look to deal him rather than try to build around him.

Towns has been one of many names on the Celtics rumor mill for the last two years, however once Kyrie Irving stated he would re-sign with Boston before last season, those rumors drifted away. With Irving expected to sign to a max deal, and Al Horford expected to opt-in, there was no real way of being able to acquire Towns. However, with a max slot open, Boston now has a chance to deal for the big man.

Minnesota is currently on a fire-sale, and really has been since Jimmy Butler left. Originally, the Wolves intended to have a big three of Towns, Butler and Andrew Wiggins. However with Butler demanding a trade, and Wiggins on his way to becoming one of the bigger busts in NBA history, Minnesota will be in full re-build mode. Winning a championship in the next four years does not seem likely for Minnesota, especially without a top-five draft pick this year, and one of the least desirable markets in the league.

If Minnesota hopes to have a chance at winning, they will have to build through the draft. Lucky for the Celtics, they have a plethora of picks in both this year and next year’s draft. They could offer Minnesota any combination of those three picks this season and the Memphis pick next season.

The Boston Celtics will also have to offer players in order to match salaries considering Towns is on a super-max deal. Marcus Smart would be the most likely player to be sent to Minnesota. The next two scenarios to look at could be Jaylen Brown or a sign and trade with Terry Rozier, although both of those may be unlikely. If Boston ends up doing a sign-and-trade with Rozier, they will have to work under a hard cap and it would be tough to acquire anyone else.

As for Brown, he is a restricted free agent at the end of the year. For Minnesota, they may want some reassurance that Brown is going to sign long-term before they pull the trigger. Getting Towns without throwing in Brown or Tatum seems like a pipe-dream at this point. However, with Memphis recently trading Mike Conley, that pick will become more valuable.

For Minnesota, Towns will most likely not be the first to go. If Andrew Wiggins in still on the team, the best thing for the Wolves to do may wait a year and hope Wiggins develops and him and Towns form some type of connection. If Wiggins is dealt, the return won’t be anything more than draft picks and role players. On the chance a trade for Wiggins is made, rostering Towns would only hurt the Wolves draft stock. If Minnesota plans to go full rebuild mode, they should be big sellers on Towns.

For the Celtics it makes perfect sense. A big man who can shoot well, Towns will fit right into the Celtics offense. Although his defense lacks at times, that seems to be more of an effort thing which doesn’t help when you are a talented player on a losing franchise.

While it may seem unlikely the Wolves blow up their whole team and start over, if they get a good enough offer for Wiggins it could be a slippery slope. The Boston Celtics should be at the top of the call list when trying to shop Towns, and could end up with another draft day steal.