New York Knicks suffer dream trade setback after Minnesota Timberwolves stance

17 November 2023 , 21:04

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Karl-Anthony Towns signed a four-year contract extension in 2022 that begins at the end of this season (Image: David Berding/Getty Images)

Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns continues to be linked with a trade to the New York Knicks but any idea of the move happening seems fanciful.

Rumours that the Knicks could make a move to acquire Towns - the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft - have been doing the rounds for several months. However, it appears that the noise that a deal could be agreed shortly is wide of the mark.

According to Action Network, the Knicks do hold an interest in trading for Towns - and have done so since pre-season - but the centre does not appear to be leaving Minnesota anytime soon.

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That is because any speculation that the Timberwolves would be open to trade talks for Towns is false. Minnesota do not appear to have any desire to trade away one of their star players.

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Towns signed a new four-year contract extension in July 2022 which will kick in at the end of the current NBA season. Towns will earn $36 million (£28.9 million) throughout the 2023-24 season, via Spotrac, but that will take a significant increase next summer.

As part of the contract extension, Towns will rake in $224 million (£180 million) throughout the new deal which will run until the end of the 2027-28 season. That will begin with Towns earning $49 million (£39.4 million) next season.

Towns has been one of the key players for Minnesota this season and has helped the team enjoy an 8-3 start to the season. The 28-year-old is averaging 21.0 points per game with 9.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists.

Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch has been utilising Towns alongside Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert, and Jaden McDaniels to form one of the best defenses in the league. Minnesota averages 105.6 points conceded per game this season which ranks second in the entire NBA, behind only the 105.2 average for the Knicks.

Karl-Anthony Towns was the No.1 overall pick in 2015 for the Minnesota Timberwolves (David Berding/Getty Images)

Finch recently spoke about the demands that have been placed on Towns' shoulders this season. The Timberwolves head coach praised the effort that Towns has gone to this year to make sure the team is successful.

"He's an all-NBA player that we asked to move positions, and he's still adapting," Finch told The Athletic on November 5. "And all credit to him.

"It's not easy. He's been great about it, and I know it's at times been frustrating, but he's learning a little bit more every day and we're learning a little bit more every day how we can still use him to the full effect."

Mark Wakefield