“KAT did not request this trade. He never has requested a move in 9 years here.” NBA reporter Jon Krawczynski put up this response minutes after Karl-Anthony Towns only posted an ellipsis on X (“…”) to highlight the reaction to his trade news. Having been with the Timberwolves for years, and inking a 4-year, $220.4 million contract, he seemed as safe as anyone. Given the franchise’s financial predicament, however, and the fact that they had 3 centers on their payroll, one of them was expected to be on the chopping block. As it turns out, KAT feared for his spot and approached the brain of the franchise directly.

Brian Windhorst revealed a story that Karl-Anthony Towns had previously narrated to him. The hooper asked to meet up with Tim Connell after Rudy Gobert’s acquisition. After all, the ESPN analyst recalled, “The Gobert trade came out of nowhere. It stunned the entire organization, and he (Towns) was like ‘I don’t want to be stunned that I’m getting traded.’” Seeking reassurance, the hooper ended up having dinner with the President, during which he outrightly asked, “Are you gonna trade me?”

Not looking to make any promises while being diplomatic, Tim Connelly ended up telling the Center where he stood. “Tim said a bunch of things. ‘We don’t want to trade you, we think you’re a great fit here, we’re building this team around you, and Ant’ and all these things but at the end of the conversation, Tim couldn’t say to him ‘I’m not going to trade you’” Brian Windhorst said. “Which is probably, he shouldn’t say it. I think he’s just being honest, he’s being responsible, he’s a smart executive.”

The fact that the Wolves acquired a Center like Rudy Gobert, who had averaged 15.6 points, 14.7 rebounds, and 1.1 assists during his last season in Utah, was enough to make KAT worried. Add the detail that the Frenchman was named the Defensive Player of the Year thrice till that point, and Towns would’ve been sweating as much as Jordan Peele did in his viral meme…

For a while, the hooper seemed convinced, having reportedly gotten assurance from not only Tim Connelly but also from other members of the management. “Even though Karl really wanted to be a ‘Timberwolf’ and wanted to do this going forward, had no interest in going anywhere, even back home, he obviously knew that the Knicks were interested in him. He knew that. Obviously, he was very well aware. I genuinely believe he wanted to be there. But he always knew that there was a chance he was going to be traded. And talking to him in the locker room after Game 5, he knew there was a chance it was his last game,” Windhorst continued.

“He didn’t want it to be. He was getting ready to start the season. He thought it wasn’t going to happen.” If Towns was worried, then he certainly wasn’t showing it. “So it really was something that was always possible,” Windy concluded on The Hoop Collective.

The last season saw the player performing on par with his previous averages, making 21.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 3 assists per game, along with shooting 50.4% from the field and 41.6% three-pointers. Thanks to his and Anthony Edwards’ combined efforts, the Timberwolves made it to the Conference Finals for the first time since 2004.

Unfortunately, the same couldn’t overpower the fact that KAT was gonna cost the franchise $49.2 million for the upcoming season, something they couldn’t spend for just a sole Center while being already way over the luxury tax and apron limits. With the trade, the Timberwolves have shown where their priorities lie. While Rudy Gobert may not have anticipated a scenario where he replaced Towns, he wanted to be sure that the duo departed on good terms.

Rudy Gobert paid tribute to Karl-Anthony Towns after shocking exit

As Brian Windhorst highlighted, Karl-Anthony Towns may not have been too welcoming to the idea of Rudy Gobert initially. However, with time, the duo formed a professional bond that yielded dividends on the court. The franchise secured a 64-43 record in the 107 games both Towns and Gobert played together. With the latter now becoming the primary center, he would have been remiss to not honor the person who carried the Timberwolves for so many years.

After Shams Charania dropped the trade news, Rudy Gobert took to Instagram to share a wholesome picture of KAT and him on his story. He even captioned it, “Keep writing your unique story my brother! Grateful that I got to be a part of it!” The Karl-Anthony Towns trade showed that no one in the NBA is safe from a potential trade. With the 2024-25 season set to commence soon, it remains to be seen whether Rudy Gobert shifting to the primary position would work well for the Timberwolves.

More importantly, how will that affect Anthony Edwards’ game? Drop your inputs below.

Before you go, remember to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Silas Demary Jr.