All-Star Center Named As Desirable Trade Target for Detroit Pistons

Would a Karl-Anthony Towns trade make sense for the Detroit Pistons?

Feb 8, 2023; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (left) and center Karl-Anthony Towns (right) react to a play by the Utah Jazz in the fourth quarter at Vivint Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports / Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

Despite having a sizable amount of cap space this summer, the Detroit Pistons opted to leave their books open. With this financial flexibility, they remain a team capable of easily acquiring a big contract in a trade.

As the offseason rolls along, the people at Bleacher Report put together three trade targets for every NBA team. Among the players mentioned for the Pistons was Minnesota Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns.

No team made fewer three-pointers than the Detroit Pistons' 11.0 a game last season, an area this team still needs a ton of help in even after a busy summer.

Towns has no problem launching (and making) threes at a high volume, and the Pistons have a clean enough cap sheet to absorb his four-year, $220.4 million contract without a hiccup.

Fresh off making the conference finals last season, it's unlikely the Timberwolves look to trade Towns in the immediate future. However, if they were to have a change of heart, the Pistons could be a team to enter the sweepstakes for the former No. 1 pick.

When it comes to bigs who can space the floor, Towns is arguably one of the best. Last season, he shot 41.6% from deep on over five attempts per game. Having a player that draws that kind of attention on the perimeter would do wonders for the Pistons' floor spacing concerns.

Another factor that makes a deal like this interesting for Detroit is that Towns has proven he can play alongside a traditional center. Meaning the Pistons could inquire about a trade like this and not have to worry about Jalen Duren's future with the franchise.

A trade for Towns would be a massive speed-up in the Pistons' timeline. At 28-years-old, he is in the prime of his career now. Not to mention adding an All-Star caliber talent would instantly make the Pistons more competitive.

As an offensive-minded big with the ability to space the floor, Towns would be an ideal complement for Cade Cunningham. The two could easily co-exist while leading the offensive, and would be extremely tough to guard in pick-and-pop scenarios.

Given that most of the Pistons' core is still in the early stages of development, a move for Towns wouldn't make much sense. That said, he is an interesting talent to keep on their radad moving forward.