Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns has been away from the bench during the team’s recent games. According to head coach Chris Finch, that’s because the 6’11” big man is striving to follow “recovery protocols and keeping his leg in the right position,” per Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Towns has not played for Minnesota since suffering a right calf strain. Though he was originally projected to miss four-to-six weeks with the injury, he has been unavailable for two months. Krawczynski added that, for now, there’s still no timeline for Towns to rejoin the 27-25 club.
There’s more out of the Northwest Division:
- Jazz head coach Will Hardy indicated that rookie center Walker Kessler is likely to stay the team’s long-term starter, per Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune (via Twitter). Kessler had been filling in for previous incumbent five Kelly Olynyk over the past few weeks, but upon Olynyk’s return, Hardy opted to shift the vet to the starting power forward spot, meaning Jarred Vanderbilt has been moved to the bench for now. Kessler is averaging 7.7 PPG on 71.5% shooting from the floor, along with 7.3 RPG and 2.0 BPG.
- Nuggets small forward Michael Porter Jr. is excited to be back with the club after missing three games due to personal reasons, writes Mike Singer of The Denver Post. “For all players, being on the court, being with your team is a sanctuary,” head coach Michael Malone said. “That’s the one opportunity you can get away from everything going on in your life and be in your happy place. It was great for our guys to have their brother back. It was also really important for Michael to be back with his team.” Malone also told Porter it’s a blessing that he’s got the foundation he has around him.
- Trail Blazers small forward Josh Hart is reportedly attracting the interesting of several clubs as the February trade deadline nears and is thought to be “very available,” reports Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports on a new edition of his podcast Please Don’t Aggregate This (hat tip to HoopsHype for the transcription). The 6’5″ swingman is averaging 9.3 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 4.0 APG and 1.1 SPG in a starting role with the 23-26 Blazers.
Minnesota would have this exact same record with or without KAT .. He’s soft .. gets in foul trouble .. & just jacks up shots
Send him away asap … Keeping his leg in the right position ??? he’s probably laying down on a beach right now
Sitting is actually bad for the body. Especially when you have leg/hip flexor/nerve issues. But keep complaining making dumb informed comments making yourself look stupid.
Can confirm, as someone who previously dealt with hip bursitis
The self labelled great shooting big man of all time
Stats are a self label now? Lol ok.
Jacks up shots to the tune of being the best shooting big of all time. Check the TS%
KAT is a great offensive player but lacks everywhere else. I wouldn’t consider him a great teammate. It’s never his fault. KAT is an overpaid bum.
He usually says all the right things without ever backing up the talk, on the court or in the locker room. And you know his teammates have taken notice. I’m sure they roll their eyes whenever they hear him give one of his tired speeches. He has no credibility.
I would not trade Kessler Straight up for KAT. Danny Ainge smoked Minnesota. Cleveland’s trade time will tell.
And most people wouldn’t trade KAT straight up for Kessler. This comment also means very little considering it was Gobert traded for Kessler.
Can this narrative end please? It will take multiple seasons to declare a “winner” in the trade. Vanderbilt is pretty much the only player of value, and the picks are spread over so many years that the variability is extreme. Just chill….
Ok if forgot about Kessler who looks good. For now. The point remains about letting it play out.
Timbs have no team flexibility with this dumb move … Connelly has just dLo money slot to build a PO team …
Only a clown would take a Kessler over KAT.
Ask Jeevsus for some brain power next time
Ainge fleeced the TWolves…
Gobert is 30 years old collecting 40mil a season and puts up 13-12…..
Clint Capela is 28 years old collecting 18 mil a season and puts up 12-11
Jonas Valucanes is 30 years old collecting 15 mil a season and puts up 14.5 and 10.
It’s a terrible deal financially and that’s before you even dive into the players and picks they gave up. Pat Bev, Malik Beasley, Vanderbilt, Kessler and 4 first round picks and a pick swap.
Not to mention look at the TWolves last season they finished 46-36, 7th in the west and pushed the Grizzlies to a game 6 in the first round.
This year after all that you’d expect them to be a lot better but no they sit 27-25 right now and I don’t see them getting any better.
Good thing the TWolves are getting taken over by new owners and will eventually probably move the team and start over fresh
If it’s me, I’m saying it’s never to late to back out and I’d go
Rudy Gobert for OG Anunoby, Thad Young, Kareem Birch and 2 first round picks
Then flip Naz Reid and a first for Bones
Leaving me to go
Bones ANT McDaniels OG KAT
Dlo Nowell Anderson Thad Birch
Bones and ANT is something your can buy into as the future. OG and KAT are win now guys and elite at their specific skill. You’ll get cap space to spend with Dlo, Prince, Thad and Birch all potentially gone.
Going to suck missing a lot of those first round picks but you have to eat it and move forward
There’s still a chance none of the picks the Jazz get work out. Look at Jared Butler. They essentially traded a 1st round pick for him a another second. Don’t remember when the other one conveys? However, it’s not the norm for second round picks to make it, so that pick was likely a bust. Doke is looking like a bust already.
The only way the draft picks hold their value is if they are traded for someone like Doncic. Not many sure things in this league anymore.
Kessler is a good 1st pick…
The Wolves are fine, they are playing to win and that takes risk (especially when fa leaves you high and dry most years)
This board is anti risk but clamors for action daily. Quite the crossroads
Its wayyyy too early to judge this trade
How Minnie can make adjustments ? Not trades cause No more picks and some AVG FA or dLo who needs a pick to be dump ..? then Kat they have on a horrible contract to recoup some assets
The Wolves are literally getting better as the season goes on…recent stretch with the Wolves beating Grizz, Kings and Pels – all above them in the standings…but you don’t see them getting better, even though their backup PG and KAT haven’t played in months but should be back by March, how does that not make them better? Wolves are figuring out how to play with Rudy and y’all are just regurgitating the same tired takes that people have been saying since the trade happened. Yeah it’s a clear overpay. Anyone have any actual insight or new takes on Rudy or the Wolves? Nope. Currently 5th in the West. Ant playing like an AllNBA guy and Jaden McDaniels should be AllNBA first team defense.
If you watched that Grizz Wolves series the got killed on the boards. Rudy is fixing a lot of that.
Also kindly eat a bag of flaming dog poo to anyone who randomly roots for a team to be moved.
Cool points and rebounds stats bro. Yeah for sure those guys are in the same league as a guy who is a multiple DPOY.