The Minnesota Timberwolves have had an incredibly negative influence on their star player Anthony Edwards. Making a wrong trade at the wrong time caused a talented guard to adjust his game, focusing on things he isn't the best at. Karl Anthony Towns became the missing piece.
The Minnesota Timberwolves' decision to trade Karl-Anthony Towns instead of Rudy Gobert has had far-reaching consequences, particularly for their young star, Anthony Edwards. This move has inadvertently hindered Edwards' growth and offensive game, exposing the critical role that Towns played as a modern big man in today's NBA.
Karl-Anthony Towns is widely regarded as one of the best shooting big men in basketball history. His ability to stretch the floor with elite three-point shooting makes him invaluable in any offense.
Towns' shooting prowess creates unmatched spacing, forcing defenders to respect his range and opening up driving lanes for slashers like Edwards. This dynamic was crucial for Edwards last season, enabling him to attack the rim aggressively while operating in a five-out system that maximized his athleticism and finishing ability.
Another critical aspect of Towns' game was his effectiveness in the pick-and-roll, particularly with his pick-and-pop ability. Towns' ability to step out and hit shots off the pick forced opposing defenses to switch assignments frequently, as switching is often the only effective way to guard the pick-and-pop.
This created mismatches that Edwards could exploit, often isolating against opposing centers who struggled to keep up with his speed and agility. With Towns gone, the Timberwolves have lost this strategic advantage.
Neither Gobert nor Julius Randle can replicate Towns' pick-and-pop game, so defenses no longer feel pressured to switch if they don't want to. This limits Edwards' opportunities to attack slower defenders and further hinders the team's offensive flexibility.
The Timberwolves have sacrificed this crucial offensive spacing by trading Towns and retaining Gobert. Gobert, while a dominant defensive presence, is virtually no threat offensively. Pairing him with Julius Randle, who lacks Towns' shooting efficiency, has further compounded the issue.
Karl-Anthony Towns
| MIN: | 33.96 |
| PTS: | 24.61 (61.97%) |
| REB: | 13.68 |
| As: | 3.5 |
| ST: | 0.86 |
| BL: | 0.93 |
| TO: | 2.57 |
| GM: | 28 |
Randle is an inconsistent shooter from deep, and his presence alongside Gobert results in lineups that struggle to create space for Edwards to thrive. The Timberwolves are often forced into cramped offensive sets with limited options, as opposing defenses can collapse into the paint without worrying about perimeter threats.
The impact on Edwards has been profound. Without the spacing provided by Towns, Edwards has been forced to adapt his game, shooting significantly more threes this season than last. Last season, Edwards attempted 6.7 three-pointers per game; this number significantly increased to 10.0.
While he has shown improvement as a shooter, this shift doesn't play to his strengths. Edwards' true offensive potential lies in his ability to dominate at the rim along with his all-around offensive package. However, the poor spacing makes it difficult for him to find open driving lanes, limiting his effectiveness.
Meanwhile, Karl-Anthony Towns' departure has transformed the New York Knicks into an offensive juggernaut. Towns' arrival in New York has given the Knicks the league's second-best offensive rating, a testament to his ability to elevate a team's offensive system.
His presence has been a game-changer for Jalen Brunson, who is now playing the best basketball of his career. With Towns stretching the floor, Brunson has found ample room to operate, taking full advantage of the spacing that Edwards desperately needs in Minnesota. Towns' shooting forces defenses to stay honest, creating opportunities for Brunson to attack mismatches and control the offense more efficiently.
This stark contrast highlights the Timberwolves' misstep in prioritizing Gobert over Towns. While Gobert's defensive skills are undeniable, the modern NBA is increasingly about offensive versatility and spacing. Not to mention that despite Gobert's incredible rim protection that fairly earned him multiple Defensive Player of the Year awards, he is still not capable of playing great switch defense. He often gets exposed in playoff basketball, so along with Goberts limitation offensively, he isn't perfect defensively either.
Towns embodied those qualities, and his absence has left Minnesota's offense struggling to reach its potential. For Edwards, the lack of a true floor-spacing big man has forced him to compromise his game, trading aggressive drives for perimeter shots in a system that doesn't fully utilize his talents.
The Knicks' resurgence with Towns only underscores what the Timberwolves lost. Towns' unique skill set has unlocked a new level for Brunson and made New York's offense a force to be reckoned with. It's a blueprint that shows what could have been for Edwards had Minnesota recognized the importance of pairing their rising star with a modern big man like Towns in the long term and building its roster on that duo.
In hindsight, the Timberwolves' decision to trade Towns might go down as one of the most impactful moves of this era — but not in the way they hoped. For Anthony Edwards the situation on the court has been made unnecessarily difficult, all because Minnesota failed to appreciate the vital role of offensive spacing in today's game.
