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Karl-Anthony Towns’ supermax extension with the Minnesota Timberwolves does allow him the chance to develop into a free agent after the 2026-27 season if he chooses to achieve this.
Per HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, the ultimate season on Towns’ four-year, $224.2 million extension is a player option.
Minnesota announced Thursday that Towns officially signed his deal.
Timberwolves general manager Tim Connelly wasted no time making an impression on the franchise after coming over from the Denver Nuggets in May. He worked out an extension with Towns and bought Rudy Gobert in a trade with the Utah Jazz for 4 players, 4 first-round draft picks and a pick swap.
The Towns-Gobert dynamic goes to be a key storyline in Minnesota for the 2022-23 season. They’ve been two of the NBA’s best centers throughout their careers, though they’ve polar opposite types of play.
Towns is arguably the perfect shooting center within the league today. The three-time All-Star has averaged at the least 21.3 points per game in each of the past six seasons and has a 39.7 percent three-point success rate in his profession.
Gobert is an elite defensive player who lived within the paint during his nine seasons with the Jazz.
Connelly told reporters this week Towns will likely move to power forward with Gobert handling center duties.
“I assumed a few of his best minutes have been on the 4 [position],” Connelly said of Towns.
Given what number of future draft picks were within the trade, Minnesota is banking on Towns, Gobert and Anthony Edwards being the nucleus of a Western Conference playoff contender for years to return.
Towns’ extension gives the T-Wolves loads of wiggle room to figure things out. He will likely be 31 after the 2026-27 season when he could potentially develop into a free agent. The Kentucky alum is estimated to earn $62.1 million in 2027-28 if he finally ends up opting into the ultimate 12 months of his deal.
The Timberwolves made the playoffs because the No. 7 seed within the Western Conference last season. They lost to the Memphis Grizzlies in six games in the primary round.
