Minnesota Timberwolves: 3 players for the team’s long-term core

1. Karl-Anthony Towns

Karl-Anthony Towns has been stellar since he was drafted in 2015, and that level of play has made him the most valuable members of this Minnesota roster and one of the best big men in the league today.

Since his NBA debut, Towns has earned All-NBA Third Team (2018), All-NBA Rookie First Team (2016), and Rookie of the Year (2016) honors. There are also a lot of people who feel that Towns was snubbed from both one of this year’s All-NBA teams and one of this year’s All-Defensive teams, considering that he averaged 24.4 points, 12.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.6 blocks and 0.9 steals per game.

He also had the 10th-highest Play Efficiency Rating in the league at 26.3. Not to mention that, had he made the All-NBA team, Towns would have gotten an extra $32 million in incentives.

Considering that Towns just recently signed a five-year contract extension that will keep him in Minnesota until at least 2024, it seems like the Wolves have their minds set on building around the big man from Kentucky, and that’s not a horrible idea. Towns’ range is the prototype for the new-era big man in the NBA, and his defensive ability is going to make him a headache for any opposing team, and will no doubt bring him more accolades in the future. The Timberwolves would be smart to keep this man happy.