Karl-Anthony Towns rumors: Warriors and wolves spoke before Julius Randle and Knicks deal | News, scores, highlights, stats and rumors

Before the New York Knicks pulled off a surprise late-season blockbuster trade to acquire Karl-Anthony Towns, the Golden State Warriors had at least some interest in the four-time All-Star.

According to athletics Anthony Slaterthe Warriors had “a conversation” with the Minnesota Timberwolves about cities that were “going nowhere,” in part because Golden State didn’t have the asset package to match what the T-Wolves were looking for.

Towns was traded to the Knicks on October 3 in a three-team deal that also included the Charlotte Hornets. Minnesota got Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo and a future first-round draft pick in the deal.

The Warriors have been trying to find another star player to join Stephen Curry for some time now, but without success. Apparently they were close to landing Paul George this summer.

George said on his podcast in July that a sign-and-trade deal between the Warriors and the Los Angeles Clippers was “almost done” before it fell apart.

According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, the Warriors have proposed multiple trade packages to the Clippers built around expiring contracts, young players and an unprotected 2027 first-round pick.

The Clippers wanted Jonathan Kuminga in a deal, but the Warriors were reluctant to move the 22-year-old because they view him as a big part of their future. George eventually signed a four-year contract worth $212 million with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Golden State was also involved in trade talks with the Utah Jazz for Lauri Markkanen before signing an extension.

Slater, Shams Charania and Tony Jones reported in August that the Warriors’ most aggressive bid for Markkanen was centered around Moses Moody, multiple first-round picks, pick swaps and second-rounders.

The Kuminga aspect of all these conversations is interesting because the Warriors opted not to give him an extension before Monday’s deadline. Slater noted that the two sides were “never closer” during negotiations.

Monte Pool of NBC Sports Bay Area reported that Kuminga wanted a salary “well above” $30 million per season upon extension. He will be a restricted free agent next summer, with the Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards the only teams expected to have any significant cap space.

The Warriors could simply gamble that Kuminga doesn’t want to join a team that is rebuilding for the long term, hoping to potentially keep him at a rate closer to what they want to pay him, rather than what he thinks the market will have. to offer.

It’s a very tricky proposition for a Warriors franchise trying to balance winning in the remaining years of Stephen Curry’s prime and setting itself up for the future without an obvious superstar successor.