The Minnesota Timberwolves are just a hair above .500, currently sitting in ninth in the Western Conference. It’s a far cry from their 2023-24 season during which they won 56 games and made the conference finals.

ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins suggested Wednesday that their decision to offload Karl-Anthony Towns in exchange for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo is the catalyst behind their woes throughout the first half of the season. Perkins lambasted the Timberwolves over the deal, going as far as to call it the worst trade in NBA history.

Speaking on NBA Countdown, Perkins ranted about Minnesota’s decision to trade away Towns. His claim that it was the worst deal in league history drew some snickers from fellow panelist Chiney Ogwumike, while Malika Andrews was quick to question him on his take.

“They’re the most disappointing team and the way that it’s trending right now, they’re on the verge of making the worst trade in NBA history in trading Karl-Anthony Towns,” declared Perkins.

Perkins suggested that those blaming Anthony Edwards for the team’s struggles need to look at who he’s sharing the court with.

“And everyone keeps talking about, ‘Oh, Anthony Edwards, he’s not attacking the basket, he’s shooting so many three-point shots…’ He has no choice! Because he’s on the floor with Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle, and the paint is crowded. I understand the money Karl-Anthony Towns was making, they had to make a business decision, but they’re gonna have to live with it because they chose Rudy Gobert over Karl-Anthony Towns.”

It’s quite a claim from Perkins, to go as far as to call it the worst trade in history, though in fairness, the two teams have indeed been trending in opposite directions since agreeing to the swap. The Knicks are in third in the East, off to a 29–16 start to the year. Towns, averaging 25.1 points and shooting a career-high 43.1% from three, looks destined to make his fifth All-Star Game. Randle, on the other hand, is averaging 18.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists, all of which are down from his numbers last season.

Although the Knicks certainly do appear to be better off as a result of the deal, Perkins may have been hyperbolizing when assessing the trade.