Both papers did stories yesterday about how close KAT is to playing again. Read a lot about that about this regarding KAT a year ago too.
Longtime Wolves fans remember the same stories being written about Micheal Williams (!), Wally Szczerbiak, Terrell Brandon, etc. Always forgave the Wolves, particularly McHale, for being super focused on how healthy a player was in college when it came to the draft. They had been burned many times by talented players who faded or disappeared when they got hurt.
Since the chances of getting a good free agent to come here is almost nil, keeping your players healthy is paramount to the Wolves.
All that said a healthy, KAT along with Russell and Beasley will give the Wolves a competitive squad. Question is if and when it will happen.
Hell, Juancho Hernangomez came back last night so it can happen. Of course Russell only played 6 minutes..
"Karl-Anthony Towns was upgraded to doubtful ahead of Minnesota’s game Monday against Dallas, and while Towns still missed the game, Timberwolves coach Ryan Saunders viewed the pregame upgrade as “progress.”
The Timberwolves have had more gym time on the road, which has allowed players like Towns to get added treatment and work.
“He’s been partaking in all of that. He’s really been able to push himself,” Saunders said. “Our medical group has been able to try to simulate certain stints during a game, the stopping and going, what that might feel like with his lungs.”
The Wolves have made a point to find out how Towns’ lungs can handle different durations of high-intensity work.
“Nothing can simulate a game environment like a game,” Saunders said. “Because there’s a lot of bumping, it’s physical and you can’t always simulate it with coaches, even as in shape as our coaches feel they are, they aren’t able to simulate what he’d see against a (Jonas) Valanciunas or a lot of bigger guys we’ve been facing.
Towns has missed more than three weeks of action. The Wolves have made a point not to rush players who’ve missed ample time while in health and safety protocols back to action too quickly.”..
https://www.twincities.com/2021/02/...-to-work-way-back-to-action-for-timberwolves/