Timberwolves Want to Keep Karl-Anthony Towns Despite Financial Concerns, per Report

Patrick Andres | Jun 26, 2024

May 28, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) reacts against the Dallas Mavericks during the fourth quarter of Game 4 of the Western Conference finals for the 2024 NBA playoffs at American Airlines Center. / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

The word of the moment in the NBA is "apron."

This offseason, new restrictions will go into effect designed to curtail runaway spending—creating a "first apron" of about $179 million and a "second apron" of about $190 million for the league's heavy spenders.

Among the teams flirting with the second apron are the Minnesota Timberwolves, who will pay guard Anthony Edwards and forward Karl-Anthony Towns a combined $466 million over the next five years. That astounding figure has NBA observers wondering whether Towns's days are numbered in the Upper Midwest, but ESPN's Zach Lowe wrote Wednesday morning that his departure is undesirable to the Timberwolves.

"The Wolves hope to hang onto Karl-Anthony Towns despite tax concerns, sources said," Lowe wrote. "He might not be the best fit (with the New York Knicks) anyway given his massive contract and so-so defense."

Per ESPN's Tim Bontemps and Bobby Marks, Minnesota appears set to pay $56 million in luxury tax (their Monday morning dispatch also contains a more detailed breakdown of the restrictions surrounding each apron).

Towns, 28, made his fourth All-Star team this past season.