Getty Karl-Anthony Towns guards Luka Doncic
Anew blockbuster trade proposal would land the Dallas Mavericks one of the top players in the NBA.
On August 21, Lee Tran of Fadeaway World proposed that the Mavericks acquire Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns by completing the following trade:
Dallas Mavericks Receive: Karl-Anthony Towns
Minnesota Timberwolves Receive: Tim Hardaway Jr., Christian Wood, Josh Green, Olivier-Maxence Porosper, 2027 First-Round Pick
If the Mavericks executed this trade, they would have a Big 3 of Towns, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
“When he is healthy, there is no doubt that Karl-Anthony Towns is one of the best big men in the league,” Tran wrote. “He is a sharpshooting 3PT center, who can also dominate inside and in the midrange if need be. Towns is also a quality rebounder, and though he has defensive issues, perhaps playing under Jason Kidd will put him in the best positions to succeed on that end of the floor. This past season, Karl-Anthony Towns averaged 20.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game. It is clear that Towns’ skill set is the perfect fit with two ball-dominant stars in Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
“Overall, adding Karl-Anthony Towns would be a luxury for the Dallas Mavericks, as his talent is immense, and he is a skilled player that has shown the ability to have superstar-level stretches. Adding him would give them the size and the offense to compete with teams like the Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, and Denver Nuggets. Making a trade for Towns should be a no-brainer for the franchise.”
Karl-Anthony Towns Is Very Talented
Towns signed a four-year, $224.2 million extension with the Timberwolves in July 2022. The extension kicks in during the 2024-25 season. The three-time All-Star will make $36 million next season.
Towns averaged 20.8 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.8 assists last season for the Timberwolves while shooting 49.5% from the field, 36.6% from beyond the arc and 87.4% from the free-throw line. The 27-year-old has career averages of 23.0 points, 11.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists while shooting 52.6% overall, 39.5% from 3 and 83.5% from the free-throw line. He has made two All-NBA teams and won the 2015-16 Rookie of the Year Award.
“Karl-Anthony Towns is still a great center at this stage of his career, but it is fair to say that he can’t be the No. 1 or the No. 2 option on a championship team,” Tran wrote. “On the Dallas Mavericks, he’d play a role that is more suited to his ability, and adding him could take the Mavericks over the top.”
Mavericks Urged to Sign 21-Year-Old ‘Defensive Monster’
The Mavericks have been urged to sign a 21-year-old “defensive monster.”
On August 21, Jack Bonin of Mavs Moneyball pushed the Mavericks to go after Usman Garuba, who was waived by the Oklahoma City Thunder, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
“Garuba is a defensive monster at the four/five spot who can guard every position and make plays,” Bonin wrote. “He moves incredibly well and has an extremely high basketball IQ. … In a lot of ways, Garuba reminds me of a F/C version of Josh Green: raw, great defender, great passer, high motor, and a work in progress offensively. But he’s the type of defensive talent that this Mavericks team needs more of. He fits with the theme of an offseason that has seen Dallas get younger, more athletic, and better defensively.”
Garuba has career averages of 3.0 points and 4.1 rebounds in 75 games with the Houston Rockets. He was teammates with Doncic in Real Madrid.