NBA rumors: Trae Young trade buzz, Andre Drummond is a comedian, Wemby and KAT team up

NBA Rumors: Spurs trade to pair Karl-Anthony Towns with Victor Wembanyama

With Victor Wembanyama in the building, it wouldn't be shocking to see the San Antonio Spurs make a swift pivot toward contention. Gregg Popovich is in the twilight of his career and Wemby, arguably the best NBA Draft prospect since LeBron James, should impact winning from day one.

The Spurs are loaded with quality young talent and role players around Wemby, not to mention a treasure trove of future picks. If R.C. Buford, Brian Wright, and the front office decide to win now, few stars make a more sensible target than Minnesota Timberwolves big Karl-Anthony Towns.

Minnesota's controversial decision to trade for Rudy Gobert yielded the No. 8 seed and a first-round gentlemen's sweep in the playoffs. Towns spent most of last season nursing an injury, so it's hard to write an obituary on the Wolves' twin towers experiment just yet, but the defensive fit is suspect. Anthony Edwards is also the new sheriff in town, so to speak. The Wolves' goal is the build the best contender around Ant, which could come at the expense of KAT if next season goes sideways.

Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report outlined the logisitcs of a potential KAT-to-Spurs trade. The Spurs get KAT in exchange for Keldon Johnson, Devonte' Graham, Cameron Payne, and two future first-round picks (2024, 2025).

That deal could work out for both sides. Minnesota gets a more versatile defensive four in Keldon Johnson, who also shows plenty of promise as an off-ball scorer and slasher. Graham and Payne would also bolster the Wolves' shoddy point guard depth.

As for San Antonio, the appeal is obvious: KAT and Wembanyama, in tandem, potentially form the best offensive frontcourt in the NBA. Both are three-level scorers who can push the ball in transition and navigate tight spaces off the dribble. KAT is arguably the best shooting 7-footer ever. Wembanyama can hit shots from anywhere on the floor and there's reason to buy stock in his playmaking for others.

Wembanyama is also a clean defensive fit next to Towns. Wemby is nimble in space and has the potential to completely wreck opposing offenses as a roamer while Towns anchors the paint, not dissimilar to Giannis' defensive role in Milwaukee. The Bucks have a better anchor in the middle than Towns, but Wembanyama is versatile enough to make the pairing work on both ends of the floor.