6 Players Scottie Barnes should be recruiting during All-Star weekend
By Tyler Watts
4. Karl-Anthony Towns
The Timberwolves have vaulted to the top of the Western Conference standings, but significant financial questions await. Towns and Anthony Edwards, the team’s two All-Stars in 2024, get significant raises next season. Minnesota has $175.7 million in committed salaries without factoring in new deals for soon-to-be free agents Mike Conley, Kyle Anderson, and Monte Morris.
The Wolves need a point guard and will likely be over the second tax apron after acquiring one. They have new owners but have not paid the luxury tax since 2007. Will they be willing to dish out the cash and suffer the roster-building restrictions? If not, Towns is the most likely massive salary to send out. The Timberwolves are not trading Anthony Edwards and cannot get the value back they paid for Rudy Gobert.
Acquiring Towns would require a massive haul, but would give the Raptors an elite scorer and stretch five. KAT could play next to Jakob Poeltl or strictly at center. Toronto has length on the wings to help cover for Towns’ defensive limitations and his offensive game could blossom in Toronto.
The Raptors have Poeltl and are likely searching for a guard or wings as their second star. They could target one in free agency this summer, but convincing him to leave Los Angeles will not be easy.