Karl-Anthony Towns watched the Timberwolves’ final game before the All-Star break from the sideline, a black wrap on his left wrist somewhat concealed by the sleeves of his charcoal sport coat.
Exactly how long Towns will be out with a left wrist injury remains unknown, but it is expected that he will miss multiple games when the Wolves resume playing after the break next week. His surprising scratch against Charlotte on Wednesday night was the latest curveball the team has had to deal with during a wild first 53 games of the season.
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On one hand, the break comes at a bad time for the Timberwolves, who need all the practices and games they can get to help a completely revamped roster get on the same page.
On the other, after a harrowing first four months of the season that included a fast start, a demoralizing plunge and a sea change at the trade deadline, the organization, in general, could use a couple of days to catch its collective breath.
When they return to the court for practice on Wednesday evening next week, they will come back to a Western Conference in which they are buried in the standings. That doesn’t stop the final 29 games from being a critical stretch for a team in transition.
From Towns’ injury to D’Angelo Russell’s indoctrination and establishing the market for Malik Beasley and Juancho Hernangomez, the Wolves have a lot to address over the final one-third of the season.
Towns’ health
Fans were geeked up to see the Wolves’ new one-two punch for the first time at home when they filed into Target Center on a frigid Wednesday night against the Hornets. But two hours earlier, it was announced that Towns would sit out after having an MRI on his wrist and would be further evaluated during the All-Star break before any determinations were made.
Towns had been dealing with pain in his wrist for the last few weeks, but with no discernible improvement, he went in for further testing. The Wolves did not specify the nature of the injury, but league sources told The Athletic that Towns will likely need more time than the nine-day break to return to action.
The Timberwolves won’t play again until they host the Celtics on Feb. 21.
Towns is averaging a career-high 26.5 points and 4.4 assists per game while also posting 10.8 rebounds and shooting 41 percent from 3-point range on 7.9 attempts per game.
But the Wolves are losing more than just his counting stats. They are potentially missing out on critical reps for a completely revamped roster that needs all of the time together it can get so Gersson Rosas and Ryan Saunders can get a true evaluation of what they have.
When you take Towns out of the equation, it is removing the central figure around which the entire offense rotates.
“It changes what your evaluation may be,” Saunders said. “Because we’ve been very adamant about what this team is where you’re building around a guy like Karl and you’re adding a guy like D’Angelo to the mix. You want to make sure you have the right pieces and the right skill sets next to those guys. If Karl misses some games, it takes away from some of the evaluation when it comes to other guys around him that fill roles.”
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Towns and Russell have plenty of familiarity and chemistry, even if they haven’t played together very much. But it is also important for the Wolves to see how players like Beasley and Hernangomez complement Towns as they try to build a new group around him that can maximize his talents.
Towns missed 15 games with a knee injury earlier this season, the first extended absence of his career. The Wolves listed him as questionable for each one of those games, casting a shroud of mystery over the situation. They attempted to be more proactive this time around, with a statement issued from the team before Saunders took questions on the matter prior to the 115-108 loss to the Hornets.
“We’ll use the All-Star break to determine the severity of it, obviously speak to his representatives and him,” Saunders said. “Figure out what the best course of action for Karl and this team is.”
To this point, there is no sense that surgery will be needed to address the issue. If eyebrows are being raised right now in suspicion of tanking, the Wolves have ample reason to get Towns back on the court as soon as possible.
If Towns can return and play for the final 20-25 games, that would be helpful as the Wolves try to build some sense of momentum heading into next season and, more importantly, get some much-needed playing time with so many new teammates.
“There’s going to be a lot of adjustment. There really is,” Saunders said. “With anything, change is hard and when you have a wholesale change where it’s almost a new roster, these guys are going to do anything they can to speed up the process.”
Russell’s warm welcome
The Wolves say the game on Wednesday night against Charlotte was a sellout in terms of tickets distributed. While there were some empty seats in the arena, the building was much fuller than it normally would have been for a weeknight game against a low-profile opponent.
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The Wolves have Russell to thank for that. There may be some debate about how ready he is to be a franchise player, but there is no questioning the box office draw that he is for a weary fan base.
In his first game in front of Wolves fans, Russell had 26 points, 11 assists and six rebounds, helping the team take a 16-point lead at halftime.
“The crowd was amazing,” Russell said. “We’re trying to build something here with our group of definitely young guys, but definitely using the crowd and that energy to continue to build on. The more we show how hard we’re going to play in front of them and try to protect home court, the more they’ll continue to keep it loud and rocking.”
It’s been only two games for Russell, but the offensive firepower has been evident. The defensive concerns are also there, and the Wolves will use the stretch run in part to evaluate how best to take advantage of Russell’s strengths and help to cover up his weaknesses.
As Russell has started to settle in with the Wolves, the first impression has been a strong one. His new coaches and teammates have seen a player who watches film late into the night, is in constant communication with those there to get on the same page and is enjoying the reception after bouncing around the league the last four years.
“He’s a very cerebral player,” Saunders said.
Russell said the loss to the Hornets was disappointing but understandable. The Wolves only scored 42 points in the second half, the offense growing stagnant as a disconnected group searched for answers. The defense faltered as well, with the unfamiliarity contributing to an inability to stop the bleeding.
“It’s natural,” Russell said. “Everybody is coming from different teams and situations, so for you to just click right away on our defensive schemes and our terminology that we’re using now, it’s going to take a while. We’ve played two games together.”
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The new Nuggets
These final 29 games will also be critical in establishing value for Beasley and Hernangomez. Both will be restricted free agents this summer, meaning the Timberwolves would have the right to match any offer they get on the open market.
Beasley is off to a particularly strong start, hitting 14 3-pointers in his first three games with the Wolves. He scored 23 points in a rout of the Clippers on Saturday, then had a quiet night in a loss at Toronto. He scored 28 points on 11-for-25 shooting against the Hornets and has taken on the look of the kind of gunner at shooting guard that this team has lacked for years.
“He’s a killer,” Russell said. “I think he’s playing for something right now, and he’s trying to showcase who he is and how important he is to this organization, and he’s doing a hell of a job so far.”
He has also brought an edge to the locker room, coming from a winning organization in Denver that is not keen on swiping losses under the rug.
“When the ball isn’t moving guys don’t get as much rhythm like in the first half, so just learning, and it’s process,” Beasley said. “Just learning, and it’s a process, but I hate losing so that’s tough for me right now.”
Beasley has long believed he is capable of being a starting shooting guard in this league. He turned down a three-year, $30 million offer from the Nuggets before the season and a strong finish will position him for a much bigger payday.
Restricted free agency can be a precarious proposition for players, who often find difficulty getting an offer sheet from another team. Beasley is represented by Klutch Sports Group, an agency with a long reputation of aggressive negotiations.
Hernangomez got off to a great start, hitting all three of his 3s in the victory over the Clippers. But he was 5 for 18 and went 1 for 7 from deep in the Hornets game.
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He is starting at power forward, but that could change later this season when Jake Layman returns from a toe injury. Layman has not played since Nov. 18, but is expected to be ready soon after the All-Star break.
Layman was a key player during an 8-6 start, with the Wolves taking advantage of his movement without the ball and underrated defense. When he does return, Saunders will have another versatile wing to add to the mix, and probably some harder decisions to make.
“We have a lot of young guys still figuring out their game,” Russell said. “We’ve got a guy like KAT that can just anchor the middle, anchor the post and can make plays. Once he’s out there, we’ll definitely feed him and play off him. When he’s not, we’ve got guys that dominate the roll and can play our pick-and-roll game, so I think it’s a great balance.”
(Top photo: David Berding / Getty Images)
