The Golden State Warriors have again drawn a wave of criticism following the NBA's latest blockbuster trade that will see Karl-Anthony Towns head to the New York Knicks.
The move has again shone a light on the Warriors inability to pull of their own blockbuster trade, having tried but failed to land All-Star forwards Paul George and Lauri Markkanen during the offseason.
Did the Warriors miss an opportunity on Karl-Anthony Towns?
While there's a broader discussion on Golden State's perspective on blockbuster trades in general, there's also been a specific conversation on whether the front office should have got involved in a Towns trade themselves.
The Warriors wanted a seven-foot shooter in Markkanen, but were ultimately unwilling to meet the high price point set by the Utah Jazz. Here was another, arguably more proven seven-foot floor spacer available at a far lower price from a trade standpoint.
In a recent article, FanSided's Christopher Kline has claimed that Golden State whiffed on a major opportunity to maximize their title window by pairing Towns with 2x All-Star Stephen Curry.
..."It's fascinating to ponder how differently Minnesota might view, say, Jonathan Kuminga, who is eight years younger and on a skyward trajectory", Kline wrote. "What if the Warriors built a package around Kuminga, the necessary salary filler (A.K.A., Andrew Wiggins and Kevon Looney), and multiple draft picks?"
Admittedly, Towns on the Warriors would have been very intriguing, particularly given the franchise has never really paired Curry with a seven-footer of his offensive talent. In a normal situation, Golden State could have beaten the Knicks offer with a package similar to what Kline suggests. However, the entire complexion changes when you consider this was largely a financially-motivated deal by the Timberwolves.
Rather than pay Towns his four-year, $220.4 million contract, they've acquired Randle who will make $28.9 million this season and then has a player option for $30.9 million in 2025-26. Sure DiVincenzo is still has three years on his contract, but it's undoubtedly one of the most team-friendly in the league based on how he played with the Knicks last season.
In contrast, any offer from Golden State wouldn't have allowed Minnesota to alleviate their financial constraints. Wiggins is under contract for another three seasons at nearly $85 million, while more importantly Kuminga is set for a huge raise from his rookie deal. Put simply, the Timberwolves wouldn't have had any interest in the young forward when they would have had to turn around and pay him $30+ million a year from next season.
The Towns trade was about Minnesota getting out from the future tax burdens while they still could, something the Warriors couldn't offer despite the expiring deals of Gary Payton II and Kevon Looney. Sure, Golden State could have thrown in more in the way of assets, but that's not why the Timberwolves pulled the trigger on a Towns deal.