What If the Timberwolves Flipped the Karl-Anthony Towns Trade Return?

The latest Timberwolves trade rumor is a compelling one. Brett Siegel from Clutch Points reported on Wednesday that many scouts have pointed towards Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo and the 28th pick being the package that Minnesota is floating around. Questioning the validity of the report is one thing, but it does present an interesting hypothetical.

Many rival scouts have pointed to Julius Randle being packaged with Donte DiVincenzo and the 28th pick for an established All-Star-like talent to pair with Anthony Edwards, per @BrettSiegelNBA

(https://t.co/RYUmA9yU7M) pic.twitter.com/0EhL85mRq0
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) June 17, 2026

Minnesota traded now-NBA champion Karl-Anthony Towns to the Knicks in exchange for Randle, DiVincenzo, and the 17th overall pick in the 2025 draft, which became Joan Beringer. Flipping Randle, DiVincenzo, and a first-round pick for an "All-Star-like talent" is pretty ironic given Towns' success with New York.

Randle has been in the middle of trade rumors since January. DiVincenzo is on an expiring contract, despite currently being injured, and the Wolves might not want to add a rookie to their current rotation. Therefore, packing the three assets could make sense for Minnesota. The question just becomes: Who could they net in return?

The most popular name on the X machine this week has been Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant. The salaries match, and the trade would work. Morant's combination of injuries, off-court issues, and inconsistent play makes him a pretty polarizing player. He is still only 26 years old, and his timeline would match up with Minnesota's core of Anthony Edwards, Naz Reid, and Jaden McDaniels.

On the surface, trading for Morant could be a risky decision. He hasn't played more than 50 games since 2022-23, and he's never played second fiddle to anyone with the Grizzlies. His fit alongside Edwards could be clunky. He's a relatively ball-dominant point guard who has shot 31.1% from three in his career.

Other options

Randle and DiVincenzo's salaries add up to just under $46 million. That means Minnesota could target more players than Morant. Other notable players that could match the salaries include Zion Williamson, Darius Garland, Kyrie Irving, and Brandon Ingram. All four stars fit the mold of "All-Star-like talent."

The Timberwolves have been mentioned as a potential landing spot for Giannis Antetokounmpo, but they might have to part McDaniels to make a deal like that work. But at this point, it sounds like the Giannis race is down to Miami and Boston.

No matter if Seigel's report is legitimate or not, the trade package he lays out might be the most realistic for Minnesota to work with this offseason.

Minnesota's roster will look quite a bit different in 2026-27, and the trade rumors should only intensify ahead of next week's NBA Draft.

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