Paul George & Karl-Anthony Towns Were Big Trade Targets For Notable Team

Karl-Anthony Towns was the focus of the summer's biggest blockbuster trade, going from the Minnesota Timberwolves to the New York Knicks. But according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic, the Golden State Warriors also made an inquiry about dealing for the star big man.

In the last couple of months, the Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves had a conversation about Karl Anthony-Towns, league sources said, but it didn’t go anywhere. The Timberwolves targeted a specific package from the New York Knicks that the Warriors didn’t possess.

That package included Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. No, the Warriors did not have that kind of talent to trade.

But long before that, the Warriors also took a huge swing at landing 9-time All-Star Paul George. GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. enlisted the help of all of his big stars to try to get it done. And it almost worked.

The Warriors general manager “led the charge” on the George recruitment, according to Stephen Curry. He hatched the idea and handled all the logistics to get George, Curry, (Draymond) Green, (head coach) Steve Kerr and other necessary power players together in Los Angeles to pitch George on coming to San Francisco.

“He was very persistent (in) making the date work,” Green said. “He did the job. Paul George wanted to come here. So shoutout to Mike. The Clippers just wouldn’t do it.”

What the Clips wouldn't do, was a Paul George opt-in to the final year of his contract and then trade him to Golden State.

So instead, PG opted out and went the free agent route (which the Warriors couldn't afford) and he landed with the Philadelphia 76ers.

So Golden State is still looking for a way to make a big splash, but now they'll have to figure out how to do it in-season.