Report: Timberwolves could've lost Naz Reid, Nickeil Alexander-Walker if they kept Karl-Anthony Towns

Reid and Alexander-Walker are both eligible for free agency after the upcoming season.

May 6, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (9) strips the ball from Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) as center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) and center Naz Reid (11) defend in the second quarter during game two of the second round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images / Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Karl-Anthony Towns may have had to go in order for the Timberwolves to keep Naz Reid and Nickeil-Alexander Walker. It's exactly what we wrote about back in June and that speculation has been corroborated by Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.

"Keeping him on the roster likely would have meant saying goodbye to Reid, who won NBA Sixth Man of the Year last season and is wildly popular in Minnesota, and likely Alexander-Walker as well, team sources said," Krawczynski wrote Saturday.

Why couldn't Minnesota keep them all? Too. Much. Salary.

Towns will make $49 million this season, followed by cap hits the next three seasons of $53 million, $57 million and $61 million, respectively. Reid and Alexander-Walker are both eligible to become free agents after the upcoming season, so the time to sign them is now.

Reid is definitely going to command well north of the $15 million player option he has in 2025. The same goes for Alexander-Walker, who is due to make only $4.3 million this season despite blossoming into a tremendous 3-and-D guard off the bench.

The trade of Towns to the Knicks makes it clear that Minnesota has eyes on reaching contract extensions with Reid and Alexander-Walker. The question now is if those deals get done before other teams can attempt to outbid the Timberwolves in free agency.