Trade Proposal Sends Karl-Anthony Towns To Pelicans, Brandon Ingram And Larry Nance Jr. To Timberwolves

One NBA analyst proposed that the Minnesota Timberwolves trade Karl-Anthony Towns to the New Orleans Pelicans for Brandon Ingram and Larry Nance Jr.

Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report proposed the following trade idea between the Timberwolves and Pelicans:

The trade: The Minnesota Timberwolves trade Karl-Anthony Towns to the New Orleans Pelicans for Brandon Ingram, Larry Nance Jr. and a 2027 first-round pick (via MIL)

Ingram will make $36 million next season and Towns will make $49.4 million. Both players have been in trade rumors.

“If the Wolves determined they had to cut costs, Towns would be the odd man out,” Buckley wrote. “He might be mega-talented on the offensive end, but he is limited defensively and possesses a spotty playoff track record. That could make his four-year, $221.1 million deal hard for them to justify.

“The Pelicans could seek him out, anyway. They need a better frontcourt fit for Zion Williamson, and they don’t seem interested in keeping Brandon Ingram around. Towns could handle second-scoring duties while also unlocking plenty of possibilities on pick plays with Williamson and spacing the floor for the bouncy big man to attack.

“Minnesota, meanwhile, could look to gain more creation and mobility by slotting Ingram in between Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels. The Timberwolves would still have Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid to hold down the interior—with Nance’s arrival adding some small-ball wrinkles—so when they wanted to play big, they could.”

Towns or Gobert have to be traded for the Timberwolves to avoid paying a massive luxury tax bill under the new CBA.

Towns averaged 21.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.7 blocks this season while shooting 50.4% from the floor, 41.6% from beyond the arc and 87.3% from the free-throw line. 

Ingram has one year left on his contract. He averaged 20.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.6 blocks this season while shooting 49.2% from the field, 35.5% from beyond the arc and 80.1% from the free-throw line.

Ingram has career averages of 19.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.6 blocks with the Los Angeles Lakers and Pelicans. He won the 2019-20 Most Improved Player of the Year Award.

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Pelicans are expected to explore the trade market for Ingram this offseason aggressively.

Towns has career averages of 22.9 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.3 blocks. The four-time All-Star was the first overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft out of Kentucky.