The Golden State Warriors are a team that is in an interesting spot currently, as this season they have had to balance developing their young players, but also competing for the playoffs with a superstar like Stephen Curry. It is obvious that the priority would be contention next season, as Stephen Curry is the type of superstar that can get you multiple championships if you build around him.
The way that a lot of teams win in this league is star power: in the last 5 years of the NBA, we’ve seen many stars try to team up with one another to make an attempt at winning a championship. The Warriors were notably one of the superteams, as they acquired Kevin Durant to add to their already elite core.
The Warriors could repeat history, and try to acquire another superstar. While their cap situation won’t allow them to sign a star outright, they could potentially trade for a star on a middling team. A good option for them would be the Karl-Anthony Towns of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Here is a blockbuster trade package that could potentially sway the Minnesota Timberwolves into letting the face of their franchise move to the bay.
Golden State Warriors Receive: Karl-Anthony Towns
Minnesota Timberwolves Receive: Kelly Oubre Jr. (sign and trade), James Wiseman, Eric Paschall, Alen Smailagic, 2021 Minnesota Timberwolves pick (if outside 1-3 range), two future first-round picks, a second-round pick
The Minnesota Timberwolves Get Assets For Their Rebuild
The Minnesota Timberwolves haven’t been very good in the last few years, and they have had exactly one playoff appearance with Karl-Anthony Towns on the roster. Perhaps it could be time for them to pursue a different direction for their franchise, and try to rebuild around Anthony Edwards, while allowing Towns to pursue a championship with Stephen Curry.
The Golden State Warriors could send out a large package that features both young players and draft compensation. The key salary piece here is Kelly Oubre Jr., as he would have to be sent out via sign-and-trade. While Oubre Jr. would have to agree for that to happen, the Timberwolves could be an appealing destination for him as he would be able to have a lot of offensive touches there, which could aid his development.
The young prospects in this deal include James Wiseman, Eric Paschall, and Alen Smailagic. Wiseman is the key piece here, as he has all the tools as well as the athleticism to become a generational big man, given more touches. Eric Paschall is a power forward who made the All-Rookie team during the 2019-20 season, while Alen Smailagic could potentially develop into a backup big for the future rotation.
The draft compensation would definitely include Minnesota’s own pick for 2021, as long as it falls outside of the top 3. The 2021 NBA Draft class is stacked, so the pick holds fairly high value. More picks would also need to be added to get a star of Towns’ caliber, which means there are two more future first-rounders, as well as a second-rounder as a sweetener. Overall, this is a fair package for an All-Star big man.
The Golden State Warriors Create Another Superteam
Karl-Anthony Towns would make the Golden State Warriors a clear-cut superteam, and they would easily become one of the top 3 favorites to win the 2022 title. Karl-Anthony Towns is a three-level scorer at the center position, and he is the best shooting center in the league. Karl-Anthony Towns is currently averaging 24.8 PPG, 10.6 RPG, and 4.6 APG, all while shooting 39.5% from beyond the arc. Adding such a player to the Warriors would make them simply unstoppable.
Karl-Anthony Towns would fit well in the Golden State Warriors’ system, and the spacing that he would get from the roster would be amazing, considering Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are on the team, and Andrew Wiggins has developed into a capable shooter as well. Draymond Green would be able to give Towns cover on the defensive end as well, and his playmaking would pair well with Towns and his elite shooting. The fit between Karl-Anthony Towns and the Golden State Warriors is clearly there, and it would be a league changing move if the Warriors could pull it off.
