Getty Minnesota Timberwolves stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert
A new blockbuster trade proposal would land the Dallas Mavericks one of the best players in the NBA.
Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report proposed that the Mavericks trade Christian Wood, Tim Hardaway Jr., Jaden Hardy and a 2027 unprotected first-round pick to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Karl-Anthony Towns.
This would be a sign-and-trade deal since Wood is an unrestricted free agent.
“Dallas should check on the price of Towns in an attempt to form the best offensive Big Three in basketball along with Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving,” Swartz wrote. “Adding Towns as an elite floor-spacer who can also put the ball on the floor would take the Mavs’ scoring attack to the next level and help keep Dončić happy (and rested), which is the ultimate goal for this franchise. Dallas also keeps Josh Green and Maxi Kleber in the deal, making sure the team at least plays a little bit of defense, too.”
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. He averaged 20.8 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 2022-23 while shooting 49.5% from the field, 36.6% from beyond the arc and 87.4% from the free-throw line.
If the Mavericks acquired Towns, they would have a lethal Big 3 of Towns, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, three stars who can score over 20 points every night.
Report: Mavericks Expected to Trade Tim Hardaway Jr.
The Mavericks are expected to trade Hardaway Jr. this summer, according to NBA insider Marc Stein, so the franchise may as well send him to the Timberwolves in a deal to acquire Towns, who has career averages of 23.0 points, 11.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists.
“The Mavericks, I’m told, have indeed likely moved on from Theo Pinson,” Stein wrote. “The free agent swingman, as things stand entering summer league, is not expected back in Dallas as part of the many changes anticipated to the Luka Dončić/Irving supporting cast. Trading Tim Hardaway Jr. and either trading or releasing JaVale McGee remain expected moves beyond all of the action in North Texas so far.”
Hardaway Jr. signed a four-year, $75 million contract with the Mavericks in August 2021. The 31-year-old averaged 14.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists last season while shooting 40.1% from the floor, 38.5% from 3 and 77.0% from the free-throw line.
Report: Kyrie Irving Has 15% Trade Kicker in New Contract With Mavericks
Irving has a 15% trade kicker in his new contract with the Mavericks, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. A trade kicker is the percentage of a player’s salary that is awarded as a bonus in the event of a trade.
Irving re-signed with the Mavericks on a three-year, $126 million contract on the first day of free agency.
Kyrie Irving has a 15 percent trade kicker in his new contract with the Dallas Mavericks, league sources told @hoopshype.
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Irving averaged 27.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists in 20 games with the Mavericks last season. He finished the 2022-23 season with averages of 27.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists while shooting 49.4% overall, 37.9% from 3-point range and 90.5% from the free-throw line with the Brooklyn Nets and Mavericks.
Irving only met with the Mavericks once free agency started on June 30. According to Heavy Sports insider Steve Bulpett, Uncle Drew didn’t have “anywhere else to go.”
“I don’t think he had anywhere else to go — not unless he wanted to give up a lot of money,” one league source told Heavy Sports. “I just think he tried to create a market for himself, like James Harden is trying to do and like Dame Lillard WILL do.”