Karl-Anthony Towns Suffers Potentially Devastating Injury

 It's the Battle of the NBA Insiders, as we all try to decipher just how serious Karl-Anthony Towns' knee injury is. The first word out this morning came from Shams Charania who claimed that the injury is serious and Towns is out indefinitely for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Just in: Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns has been diagnosed with a torn meniscus in his left knee and is out indefinitely, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. pic.twitter.com/JlPe73PnN9

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 7, 2024

Shams called it a torn meniscus.

But then within 30 minutes, Adrian Wojnarowski weighed in, and he said, in effect, 'hold the phone!'. Maybe Towns won't miss any time at all...? 

ESPN Sources: Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns has suffered a left meniscus injury, but it remains unclear about how much, if any, time he’ll be required to miss. Towns and team are working to get full understanding of degree of injury and whether it demands immediate action.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 7, 2024

Woj says that it is indeed a left meniscus injury, but it remains unclear about how much, if any, time he’ll be required to miss. Towns and the team are working to get a full understanding of the degree of the injury and whether it demands immediate action. 

The ESPN report adds that doctors are continuing to evaluate the meniscus to determine whether an immediate procedure is required—which would keep him out indefinitely— or whether there are rehab options that could return him to Minnesota's lineup in the more immediate future, sources said.

It's not good news for the T-Wolves, any way you look at it. The team has been a surprise leader atop the Western Conference this season, though the Oklahoma City Thunder have just caught them for top spot, at 43–19. How the Timberwolves will be able to make out without Towns for any extended period remains to be seen.

Towns has averaged 22.1 points and 8.4 rebounds while shooting 42% from 3-point range in 60 games this season.

In the meantime, backup center Naz Reid, who's had a very nice season for Minnesota off the bench, would be taking on a much greater role in Towns's absence. Reid has averaged a career-high 12.3 points add 4.8 boards while shooting 41% from beyond the arc in 23 minutes a night.

Photo: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports