3 reasons he is the perfect partner for Karl-Anthony Towns

Karl-Anthony Towns is the perfect partner for Joel Embiid because of his ability to shoot from three, rebound and defend.

Karl-Anthony Towns is a basketball player and the perfect partner for anyone. He has 3 reasons why he is the perfect partner for any person.

As the summer approaches, Atlanta Hawks forward John Collins has become one of the most sought-after players on the market. The Minnesota Timberwolves attempted to acquire him at the trade deadline in late March, but were unsuccessful. The Hawks, on the other hand, opted to stick with Collins for the full 2020-21 season, which paid off as they advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals before losing to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Despite their recent success, the Atlanta-based club faces a different situation, as Collins is likely to seek a maximum contract extension to stay with the team next season. Collins is set to become a restricted free agency this summer, and several clubs, including the Timberwolves, are likely to chase him aggressively in order to progress their rebuilding aspirations.

If Minnesota is able to get his services, he will be a welcome addition to the team’s thin frontline, which is presently headed by Karl-Anthony Towns.

Here are three reasons why the 23-year-old is Karl-Anthony Towns’ ideal partner:

1. In pick-and-pop situations, John Collins can step out and hit threes.

Collins, like Towns, has an excellent shooting touch for a big guy. In 63 games played in 2020-21, he shot 55.6 percent from the field, 39.9% from beyond the arc, and a career-high 83.3 percent from the free-throw line.

Because the Timberwolves now have two big guys who can spread the floor and serve as threats away from the basket, his ability to shoot from distance will be very beneficial. D’Angelo Russell and Ricky Rubio, their playmakers, may now utilize a ball screen with Collins popping out or Towns rolling to the basket, or vice versa.

Collins’ flexibility would undoubtedly benefit the Timberwolves, as they would be able to experiment with a variety of offensive systems, allowing them to score in a variety of ways.

2. On offense, his athleticism would compliment Towns’ low post game.

Despite his long-range shooting prowess, Towns spends the majority of his time in the paint, just like any other conventional big man. In today’s version of basketball, having athletic players who can use their physical skills to gain an edge over their opponents is already a must.

Collins’ athleticism would provide a new dimension to the club’s attack, as the team now has a cutter who can finish at the rim while Towns is drawing multiple defenders on the low block. He would undoubtedly be the man that could step up and cause havoc for the Timberwolves, all while utilizing his agility to generate easy looks at the hoop.

3. John Collins is a great rebounder as well.

When it comes to athleticism, the Wake Forest prospect is a player who often uses his quickness to jump up and grab rebounds for his team. Collins’ rebounding prowess was on display in the 2019-20 season, as he averaged 10.1 boards per game. While his rebounding statistics dropped somewhat in the 2020-21 season, there’s no denying that his nose for the ball remains the same, allowing him to assist his team gain more possessions on the court.

Towns is still a major rebounding force, averaging 10.6 rebounds per game last season. The Timberwolves, on the other hand, could use more rebounders, particularly since they were just the league’s 19th best rebounding club in 2020-21, according to Stat Muse.

Collins is an improvement over the team’s two power forwards, Juancho Hernangomez and Jarred Vanderbilt, at the end of the day. Karl-Anthony Towns would finally have a frontline mate who can compliment his game and help him dominate the paint more more if he were to arrive.

In the end, a player like John Collins will never be cheap, but the Timberwolves should jump on him if the price is right, given the intangibles he brings to the table and how they may help the club reach new heights in the future.