Report: NBA executives think the Indiana Pacers could be a potential suitor for Karl-Anthony Towns
What will the Minnesota Timberwolves do next? That's a big question after the team bowed out of the playoffs 4-1 to the Denver Nuggets.
Anthony Edwards proved he can be a star on the biggest stage this postseason, and the next great Minnesota team will certainly include him. But the Timberwolves path forward is worth monitoring after the franchise gave up several assets to acquire Rudy Gobert in the summer of 2022. The hope was that the trade would make the team a contender.
That didn't happen this season, yet patience is certainly warranted. But what Minnesota does next is worth monitoring, as is the future of star forward Karl-Anthony Towns.
Sean Deveney of Heavy Sports penned a report about Towns and his connections to the Knicks franchise, detailing why some around the NBA have connected the New York group and the Timberwolves center. If Towns is moved at some point in the future to improve Minnesota's outlook, Deveney reports that "New York is the likeliest landing spot."
For a player like Towns, who is under contract and still in his prime, there would be many suitors if he were made available. At this time, there is no indication that will be the case. But if it ever does happen, Deveny shared that some NBA executives mentioned the Miami Heat, Brooklyn Nets, and Indiana Pacers "as potential suitors" for Towns.
The Pacers are hoping to reach the playoffs next season. The franchise has goals of getting better, both via internal development and roster additions. Perhaps Towns could be one of those additions. He's a force, and the three-time All-Star can play multiple positions. Because he is talented and under contract for several seasons, every team in the league should have some interest if he becomes available, Pacers included.
Towns is one of the best shooting big men ever and would help any team. His defense is subpar, though, and Indiana will be hunting for defensive reinforcements this summer. At his talent level, some flaws could be overlooked.
The Pacers have extra assets going forward and are positioned well to make a big trade at some point, but after a 35 win season, they team may be better off getting better organically for a few more months before taking their big swing. If Towns were to be available in 2024 and Indiana's trajectory remains the same, perhaps that would be the ideal time for the blue and gold to make such a move.
But these trade opportunities rarely come at the ideal time. Either way, the Pacers, and every team in the league, will have their eyes on Minnesota going forward.
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