Report Reveals Why Timberwolves Pulled Trigger On Karl-Anthony Towns Trade

The Karl-Anthony Towns trade may have been addition by subtraction for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Timberwolves shook up the NBA landscape Friday with the news that the team agreed to deal Towns to the New York Knicks . In exchange, Minnesota is slated to receive a package that includes Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo and a first-round draft pick.

On paper, it's quite a bold move for a Timberwolves team that's fresh off of making the Western Conference Finals.

But according to The Athletic's Jon Krawczynski, the decision to trade Towns was completely centered around the Timberwolves' rising superstar Anthony Edwards. Minnesota reportedly dealt Towns "to maximize Edwards' window for the long haul."

Holding onto Towns for the next two seasons would have almost certainly raised the team's floor and kept the team's chemistry intact. But keeping his contract on the books would have also limited the team's financial flexibility going forward.

The Timberwolves reportedly opted for the flexibility to ensure that the team around Edwards remains competitive "for much longer than just the next two years."

The trade is also reportedly expected to help Minnesota re-sign fan favorite Naz Reid. The 25-year-old had a breakout campaign last season en route to winning the Sixth Man of the Year award.

Randle offers the Timberwolves a short-term replacement for Towns. The 6-foot-8 forward may not be as good of a shooter as Towns, but he was named an All-Star in three of the past four seasons.

The former Knicks star is also owed significantly less money compared to Towns, who is just about to enter the first season of the four-year, $220 million extension he signed in 2022. Comparatively, Randle will earn $28.9 million next season and has a $30.9 million player option for the 2025-26 campaign.

The Timberwolves may have taken a step back heading into next season. But the Towns trade points to Minnesota looking toward their next big move down the line.