Timberwolves show quiet confidence in Karl-Anthony Towns trade to Knicks with latest rumored move

The Minnesota Timberwolves controversially traded Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks days before training camp following a run to the Western Conference Finals.

That wasn't the first Timberwolves move that was met with heavy scrutiny, as Minnesota sent Walker Kessler, four first-round draft picks, and a first-round pick swap to the Utah Jazz for Rudy Gobert in 2022.

Despite these moves, the Timberwolves are expected to extend Minnesota's president of basketball operations Tim Connelly's contract this offseason, according to NBA insider Jake Fischer.

Towns was linked to the Knicks in the past, but with Anthony Edwards emerging into one of the best players in the league, KAT adjusting his game to fit next to Edwards and Gobert, Mike Conley's veteran leadership, and a plethora of great wing defenders, namely Jaden McDaniels, many fans thought the Timberwolves gave up on a legitimate chance to win a championship.

While the Wolves enjoyed an improved performance from Julius Randle down the stretch of the season and went 17-4 in their last 21 games, there were plenty of dark stretches for the organization in the earlier part of the season.

Meanwhile, Towns went on to have an MVP-caliber season in his first season in New York, averaging 24.4 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists.

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Minnesota seemed to prioritize future financial flexibility by dealing Towns, but the Timberwolves' revival wouldn't have happened without Towns sticking through the darkness in the Twin Cities and they gave up on a superstar who genuinely wanted to see the entire process through.

However, Edwards is still young enough where the Timberwolves can bring in new talent and implement a great culture surrounding the 23-year-old superstar, but another underachieving season could cause Edwards to become disgruntled and request a trade well before his contract expires in 2029.

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