NBA News: Kevin Garnett criticizes Timberwolves for trading Karl-Anthony Towns over Rudy Gobert

Before the NBA season tipped off, the Minnesota Timberwolves made waves by trading Karl–Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks in exchange for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. Now, the move is drawing sharp criticism, with Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett calling it a major misstep, suggesting Rudy Gobert should have been the one on the move.

On a recent episode of his show KG Certified, Garnett didn’t mince words when discussing the Timberwolves’ decision to part ways with their franchise player.

“We just swept that whole Minnesota thing under the rug,” Garnett said. “You’re supposed to trade Rudy Gobert, keep KAT, and go on. You took a step back. You didn’t wanna pay the man? What are we doing?”

The Timberwolves reportedly sought to deepen their roster and add shooting to their bench with the Towns trade. However, early results suggest a loss of chemistry in the starting lineup—a factor that’s becoming increasingly evident on the court.

Karl-Anthony Towns and Kevin Garnett during a game with the Timberwolves. (IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire)

Anthony Edwards calls out team

The Timberwolves’ struggles continued with a 115-104 loss to the Sacramento Kings, their fourth consecutive defeat. After the game, star guard Anthony Edwards didn’t hold back, calling out the team for its lack of toughness.

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NBA News: Anthony Edwards gets brutally honest on Timberwolves' teammates after losing to Kings

“I think we were soft as hell as a team, internally,” Edwards said. “Not to the other team, but internally, we were soft. We can’t talk to each other. Just a bunch of little kids.”

Edwards also criticized the Timberwolves’ lack of defensive identity, a trait the team had hoped to build on this season. “We’ve been trying to figure this out all year,” he continued. “We thought our defense would be our identity, but it’s not looking like that at all. Right now, our identity is soft. I was talking to Mike about that last time.”

What’s next for the Timberwolves?

Minnesota have an opportunity to end its losing streak tonight when they host the Los Angeles Clippers in the NBA Emirates Cup. Following that, they face a challenging stretch, including a matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers on December 2 and a rematch with the Clippers on Thursday the 5th.