New Blockbuster Trade Idea Sees Hawks Send Dejounte Murray to Minnesota, Pairs Trae Young With Karl-Anthony Towns

Would the Hawks be interested in acquiring Karl-Anthony Towns From Minnesota?

Apr 12, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) drives to the basket as Atlanta Hawks forward De'Andre Hunter (12) plays defense in the first half at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports / Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

The Minnesota Timberwolves just made a run to the Western Conference Finals, but they now have some decisions that they are going to have to make as far as their roster goes. The Timberwolves are going to be over the second apron next season if the team stays like it is and it has diminished trade assets due to trading for Rudy Gobert, who just won another Defensive Player Of The Year Award. That has led to some speculation that the Timberwolves could try to trade star forward/center Karl-Anthony Towns as a way to avoid the second apron and get some draft picks back potentially.

Though it is still unknown whether the Timberwolves might actually do this, it might be a smart idea for a team that already has Anthony Edwards. Sixth Man Of The Year Naz Reid is ready to step into Towns role as well, making a move even easier. If Minnesota does decide to move Towns, there will be plenty of suitors around the league due to Towns being one of the best offensive big men in the league.

Would the Hawks make sense as an option? Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey has one trade proposal that lands the Hawks the talented big man from the Timberwolves to pair with star point guard Trae Young:

Atlanta Hawks Receive: Karl-Anthony Towns

Minnesota Timberwolves Receive: Dejounte Murray and Bogdan Bogdanović

"Mike Conley has been a steady hand at the wheel and a lights-out three-point shooter since joining the Timberwolves ahead of the 2023 trade deadline. He also just signed an extension to stay in Minnesota, but he turns 37 in October, and Edwards often looked overtaxed as a primary ball-handler.

Atlanta has more than one potential option to help on that front.

Young is the bigger swing, but Murray would still take pressure off Edwards. And he'd be more likely to help Minnesota preserve its current defensive-minded identity.

The real coup, though, is the addition of Bogdanović. Because Towns' salary nearly doubles Murray's, another decent-sized contract needs to head back to Minnesota. Bogdanović's deal qualifies, and he'd help the Wolves as both a shooter and secondary creator.

For the Hawks, this move costs them some depth and financial flexibility, but a top two of Young and Towns would be among the league's most explosive. And though it'd be tough to fashion an average defense with those two in place, having multiple, switchy wings like Jalen Johnson and De'Andre Hunter would help."

This is an interesting trade proposal. The Hawks are probably going to split up the pairing of Young and Murray and Towns' talent is undeniable. The problem would be the defense. Towns had a better season this year on the defensive end, but he is not a plus. Pairing him with Young would cause problems for the Hawks on defense and they were already one of the worst in the NBA. The offensive potential would be huge though and Towns would be the most talented big man Young has played with. They would have Johnson, Onyeka Okongwu, Hunter, and whoever they take with the No. 1 pick (Alex Sarr, Zaccharie Risacher, or Donovan Clingan) to help the defense. A lineup of Young, Risacher, Johnson, Towns, and Okongwu is interesting and has potential to elevate the Hawks ceiling in a big way.

It could potentially be a wild summer around the NBA and the Hawks and Timberwolves could be right in the middle of it.