In the latest hypothetical trade scenario involving Cleveland Cavaliers star Andre Drummond, a recent report suggested that the team could send the veteran to the Minnesota Timberwolves and get their own starting center, Karl-Anthony Towns , in return.
As pointed out by NBA Analysis Network , Towns has stood out as the Timberwolves’ “face of the franchise,” making three straight All-Star Games and consistently posting big numbers. But with his recent injury concerns, including wrist issues that forced him to miss much of the 2019-20 season and the last few games of the current campaign, the publication speculated that the team might consider moving him and getting another All-Star-caliber center in return.
In the hypothetical deal, the outlet recommended that the Cavaliers could get Towns and backup forward Jarred Vanderbilt and surrender Drummond, a 2022 second-round pick, and three future first-rounders — one each in the 2021, 2023, and 2025 drafts — to the Timberwolves. This offer, as noted, may seem like “a lot” for Cleveland, but could theoretically allow the organization to land someone who could turn out to be the “second-best player” in franchise history behind erstwhile Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James.
“Towns is a generational type talent at the center position and if the Cavs were able to acquire him to pair with their young core, they could be a legit playoff team and potentially more as their young talents continue to grow.”
As further predicted, the deal — if it becomes a reality — would have Towns joining a more stable franchise than the Timberwolves, who have only compiled one winning season in the past 10 years. Aside from the fact that Towns fits the timeline of Cleveland’s young core at 25 years old, his arrival could potentially make it easier for the organization to move veteran big man Kevin Love and his high-priced contract.
According to his Basketball-Reference page, Towns averaged 26.5 points, 10.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.2 blocks and shot 50.8 percent from the field and 41.2 percent from three-point range in the 2019-20 season, where he saw action in only 35 games. This year, he has only played twice due to his wrist issues, posting averages of 19 points, 11.5 rebounds, and five assists.
Meanwhile, the theoretical transaction could also prove to be beneficial to the Timberwolves, NBA Analysis Network forecasted. Drummond (17.7 points and 15.2 rebounds per game in 2019-20, per Basketball-Reference ) has the skills to help Minnesota become one of the NBA’s top teams in rebounding while also allowing shooters such as D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards to thrive even further. The outlet added that the future draft picks could also be “extremely important” for the club as it continues its rebuilding process, as they could either be used to select promising rookies or as trade bait for another All-Star-level player.
