Getty Karl-Anthony Towns
The Chicago Bulls have been nothing short of fantastic through three preseason games.
While it might be easy for Bulls fans to get excited about the perfect 3-0 start in the exhibition season it is important to realize the regular season hasn’t started. Until the games count, we must remain cautiously optimistic.
Also, Chicago has played the Cleveland Cavaliers twice and an undermanned New Orleans Pelicans squad during this preseason. The Bulls will have some much tougher nights when the regular season gets going. There is still room for improvement on this roster. The Bulls have already swung a ton of deals this offseason, but one more huge trade might be the key to transforming the squad into a true contender.
If Chicago could pry Karl-Anthony Towns away from the Minnesota Timberwolves, who should the Bulls be willing to part ways with to complete the deal?
Mega Trade Proposal to Bring Karl-Anthony Towns to the Bulls
One of the weak points for the Bulls has been the play of center Nikola Vucevic. Not only is the All-Star big man the team’s worst defensive player, he’s also struggling mightily from three-point range.
Vucevic is traditionally a top-notch pick-and-pop center, but he’s currently 0-for-13 from deep in the preseason. When you mix that with his slow rotations on defense and his periodic less-than spirited contests at the rim, you have to wonder if the Bulls could improve their chances of making this season special by moving Vucevic.
This trade works financially (per the NBA Trade Machine from ESPN) and would seemingly offer both the Bulls and Timberwolves valuable assets.
Bulls Get:
- Karl-Anthony Towns
- Jaden McDaniels
- Josh Okogie
Timberwolves Get
- Nikola Vucevic
- Coby White
- Patrick Williams
- First-Round Pick in 2026
Why KAT Could Potentially Be Available
The Minnesota Timberwolves’ Karl-Anthony Towns is tired of losing in Minnesota and there is no reason to believe his squad is headed for the postseason again this year.
Take a look at this candid moment from a seemingly unhappy Towns talking about Timberwolves dysfunction on media day.
He’s the consummate professional, but if this isn’t a guy who would benefit from a change of scenery, I don’t know what that looks like.
Towns and Zach LaVine are close from their times in Minnesota and a reunion would probably be an easy sell for both players. If you’re thinking Towns isn’t a great defender either, you’re correct–at least that’s been the case through the early part of his career.
However, he seems to be ready to turn that corner. Towns recently said he wants to be “a 7-foot Patrick Beverley.”
Why This Trade Works For Everyone
Bulls fans might scoff at Williams and White being included in a trade. It’s understandable as both are talented, but if Towns were available, Williams and White are expendable.
It’s great that Williams has so much upside and that White’s offense is an obvious value. Vucevic is still very talented, even though he doesn’t seem to fit this group perfectly. He would still be a 20-and-10 player in Minnesota.
As for the players coming back in this trade concept, McDaniels fits the PF role with the Bulls. He was a restricted free agent this offseason and would have been a great fit. McDaniels is long, bouncy, defensive minded and his energetic style would play perfectly alongside Lonzo Ball and DeMar DeRozan.
Okogie is a 3-and-D player who is going to be a free agent at the end of the season. He could take the minutes White leaves behind. KAT would obviously be the major addition for the Bulls. He would give Chicago a younger, more athletic superstar C.
If KAT continues his journey toward being a better defender and remains as nearly unguardable on the post and strong from the three-point line (39.4% for his career) the Bulls would have a team that could compete with any squad in the NBA–in either conference.
Obviously, the T’Wolves would only do this if KAT wanted out, and could not be talked into staying in Minnesota. Still, this potential Bulls package is attractive mostly because Williams is a potential star and a good fit alongside Anthony Edwards.
White could play a valuable bench scoring role and Vucevic is still a big-time scorer and rebounder. He’s also a free-agent after the 2022-23 season, a year sooner than KAT. Therefore, if Vucevic isn’t a long-term fit, the Wolves wouldn’t be strapped with his deal past next season.
When you add in a future first-round pick, it might be the best offer the Wolves could get in the way of financial flexibility, young talent and a draft selection.
Keep your eyes open for a potential shift in KAT’s desire to stay in Minnesota. If the Wolves struggle out of the gate, it could become one of the biggest stories of the year.
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