Minnesota Timberwolves: Is KAT still the future of the franchise?

The future has looked so incredibly bright for the Minnesota Timberwolves over the past few seasons but we’ve consistently been let down by draft prospects not panning out, the trade market being nonexistent and unrelenting injuries. The fire may have officially been snuffed out in Minnesota.

Karl-Anthony Towns has been the heart and soul of the Timberwolves organization and became the next great T-Wolves big man following Kevin Garnett and Kevin Love. He’s sacrificed everything for the franchise and the fans and doesn’t have anything to show for it.

It’s been a long six years for Karl-Anthony Towns and the Minnesota Timberwolves. With nothing to show for his hard work, how much longer will he stay?

Towns was once viewed as arguably one of the top three centers in the NBA, behind Nikola Jokić and Joel Embiid, but with the consistent lackluster seasons by the Timberwolves, it now feels as though he’s been left behind to rot.

This is in no way his fault, as the front office has consistently made boneheaded moves in the draft, failed to fill out the roster around him and give him a coach that has any idea as to how basketball works.

Looking at KAT’s impact on and off the court, it’s obvious that he enjoys being a member of the Timberwolves and of the surrounding community but at what point does he draw the line. When does it get to the point where he demands a trade because the team is just wasting valuable years of his career?

Towns is still a bona fide star in the NBA and is a Timberwolves legend already. The two-time All-Star is also the 2016 Rookie of the Year and was selected to the All-NBA Third Team in 2018. He currently sits at second in franchise history for points, blocks and rebounds.

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Anthony Edwards looks to be off to a promising start but when is D’Angelo Russell going to play deep into the season? When will these pieces get to play significant minutes together?

The Timberwolves organization has continuously failed to generate significant free agency interest, capitalize on draft position, make midseason acquisitions and help their young talent progress and develop into quality NBA players. The only help Towns has gotten from the front office is through the drafting of Edwards, who was a surefire pick, and trading for Russell because he’s one of KAT’s best friends.

The team’s fate could have looked very different had Malik Beasley not gotten hurt or suspended. The fact that nobody was able to step up in his absence to help Towns lead the team is not a knock on the players but rather a knock on the front office and coaching staff for their inability to develop talent.

Having one of the best centers in the NBA doesn’t matter when he’s got no help around him. Only one winning season and playoff appearance in six years is unacceptable. When will he finally say enough is enough?

The franchise owes it to KAT to build a roster around him that can not only be a perennial playoff team but also a legitimate championship contender. The window in which he is part of the organization is closing rapidly and there’s no other way around it. If they can’t successfully build a team around him that can compete, don’t be surprised to see Towns force his way out sooner rather than later.