After agreeing to a four-year, super-max extension earlier this offseason with the team that selected him first in the 2015 NBA draft, Timberwolves All-Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns penned an enthusiastic letter praising Minnesota fans in local paper the Star Tribune (h/t to NBA Retweet for capturing the image).
“To the best fans in the NBA,” Towns began his missive. “When I arrived in Minnesota in 2015, I carried a lot of weight on my shoulders… I arrived at a hopeful time for the franchise. The best part of my tenure here is that we have such a bright future ahead — because of you all, the fans.
“… I am not who I am today without you,” Towns continued. “Thank you for challenging me, holding me accountable, supporting me and giving me a place to grow up and learn what it means to represent this state…. I promise to continue leading us to new heights for years to come.”
Towns will be suiting up for a new-look Minnesota club this fall, thanks in no small part to the team’s blockbuster trade for former Jazz All-Star center Rudy Gobert.
There’s more out of Minnesota:
- In recent remarks made after agreeing to his new contract, Karl-Anthony Towns claimed to revel in the challenge of lifting the team that drafted him onto the path to title contention, writes Michael Rand of the Star Tribune. “A lot of people in my position, you know, they get to this spot with their second contract and they’re looking to get a ring — the easiest ring around the league,” Towns said during a conversation for the Star Tribune’s podcast Daily Delivery. “I wanted to take the harder route. I wanted to be loyal to the people who brought me into this league and gave me a chance to prove my worth. I wanted to win here.”
- Joe Branch, a Timberwolves front office executive who first joined Minnesota following a stint as an agent with Roc Nation, is on the cusp of heading back to the agency side, where he is set to latch on with BDA Sports, according to Marc Stein (Twitter link).
- Shooting guard Matteo Spagnolo, drafted by the Timberwolves with the No. 50 pick this year, will join Italian club Aquila Basket Trento for the 2022/23 season, the team announced in a press statement. Spagnolo heads to Aquila Basket on loan from Real Madrid, for whom the 19-year-old has played since 2018. During the 2021/22 season, Real Madrid loaned Spagnola out to another Italian team, Vanoli Cremona. In 25 contests for Vanolia Cremona, the 6’4″ wing averaged 12.2 PPG on .440/.441/.861 shooting. He also notched 3.5 RPG, 2.6 APG and 0.8 SPG.
Wolves title path
Fix Guards defense
Lakers title path
Fix Westbrook
Lakers title path…. Steal another team and move them to LA from Minnesota….. because they don’t have a title path.
Wolves combo of KAT and Rudy is going to be like Ben and Rasheed Wallace on steroids… with some crack sprinkled on it…going to have all the same strengths as those 2 but at an even higher level.
Unfortunately….
Timberpuppies and “Title Path” DO NOT BELONG in the same headline.
The Timberwolves have as good a shot as any other team. The Timberwolves had a top 10 offense last season, Rudy Gobert instantly gives them a top 10 defense and the continued development of Edwards, Towns and Russell should put them right up there with the Suns, Warriors, Mavs and Grizz next season.
The TWOLVES will be in the play-in tournament again.
Lol okay
It’s getting hilarious to hear these uninformed takes about the Wolves. You’re telling me that there’s 7 Western teams better than the Wolves after the Gobert trade? I’m not saying we’re a top 2 team. But we will absolutely be in the mix for 3,4,5. Everyone underestimated or improvements last year and we doubled our wins (granted, doubled from a very low number). We’ve made bigger improvements this year that match the competition, not to mention fill our biggest weaknesses.
Btw, Sillivan – I think you’re referring to DLo’s defense only. Ant plays average to above average defense, and has improved each year in all aspects.
Minnesota …. You are not that good. Last year, was a bad season in the NBA. A lot of guys were out with injuries. Boston v Golden State was the weakest finals in recent memory.
Your best player is Anthony Edwards. He has a chance to be a real stud. KAT is nothing more than a dude who gets stats. You don’t win titles with guys who have as little impact on a game defensively as he does. You had to trade for Rudy Gobert because of KAT’s defensive weakness. Gobert has no offensive game. Not sure how these two will work together and not get exploited by good teams. Gobert is an aging defender in the post in a league where many teams no longer even play a center. Two years ago Utah had the best record in the NBA and flopped with Gobert. Last year, another playoff flop by Utah. What exactly does Gobert solve in the playoffs?
D’Angelo Russell has become a liability on both ends of the floor. This guy is talking about how Gobert is gonna take his game to another level offensively. Really??? Rudy Gobert????
Denver adds Jamal Murray and Michael Porter, Jr. L.A. Clippers add Kwai Leonard. Golden State is #3 seed with Memphis #4 seed. Minnesota is a #5 seed and a 1st round playoff exit to the #4 seed.
A big part of what Minnesota added defensively in Gobert, was subtracted by trading Jarryd Vanderbilt to Utah. He is pretty good defensively. Rebounds, steals, blocks shots.
KAT is the definition of a class act!
The highest Minny has ever went in the playoffs was a division title way back in 2004. A perennial cellar dweller to first round exit harping about a chip lol. I guess that’s one way of downplaying the Rudy Gobert overpay.