Glen Taylor, owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves. /CFP
Glen Taylor, owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves, answered a series of questions about his team's transactions during this offseason on The Scoop podcast with Darren Wolfson of SKOR North and 5 Eyewitness News.
The Timberwolves signed a four-year, $224 million contract extension with their All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns who still has two years left of his current five-year, $158 million deal with the team. Towns averaged 24.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists and two triples at 41 percent of 3-point rate last season. He was selected for the All-NBA Third Team.
Karl-Anthony Towns (#32) of the Minnesota Timberwolves drives toward the rim in Game 6 of the NBA Western Conference first-round playoffs against the Memphis Grizzlies at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, April 29, 2022. /CFP
"It was a non-issue. That's what we set it up for, the elite players, and Karl has proved he's one of those players," Taylor said.
The Timberwolves reached the playoffs and played six games in a close series against the Memphis Grizzlies. Apparently they aim for a bigger goal than that in the 2022-23 season, the team traded with the Utah Jazz to acquire three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert.
Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves poses for a portrait at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, July 6, 2022. /CFP
"What I did when [general manager] Tim [Connelly] and [head coach] Chris [Finch] talked to me about this trade is to ask (Finch) is there a system that he knows how to utilize these players," Taylor said. "And he was very confident that he did understand how to utilize their skill sets, being two big guys. We talked about a lot, so he convinced me that this is something that is going to take us to a winning situation, and gave us the go-ahead to make the trade."
D'Angelo Russell, the starting point guard of the Timberwolves, is also legit to sign an extension with the team. He still has one year left of his current contract and averaged 18.1 points and 7.1 assists in the 2021-22 season. His ability to run offense, especially in launching pick-and-roll plays with the "Twin Towers" of Gobert and Towns will be integral to the Timberwolves.
D'Angelo Russell (#0) of the Minnesota Timberwolves dribbles in Game 5 of the NBA Western Conference first-round playoffs against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee, April 26, 2022. /CFP
"[Finch] believes that with the new lineup, and with Russell in that lineup, that he'll have a much better year just because of the way we're going to play," Taylor said. "He says he thinks there's a big upside for Russell with this group of (players). That's to his advantage and to our advantage if it works out."
The control of the Timberwolves will be handed over to incoming owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez in less than two years. Taylor said he will be happy to see the franchise grow more competitive under new ownership. "No, I don't have any second thoughts. I think it's the right thing to do. We've left some options open that I'll continue to be involved if I want to be involved, and that suits me just fine," he added.