**The Official Karl-Anthony Towns Thread: Part Two**

[Shaka_Zulu]

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LETS.****.GO.

[Klomp]

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Tuesday is the four-week mark btw.

[winforlose]

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Tuesday is the four-week mark btw.

In this context I always love the words “ahead of schedule”

[TimberKat]

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Tuesday is the four-week mark btw.

In this context I always love the words “ahead of schedule”

Glad to see Towns is running at full speed already

But seriously, if he is supposed to play before the playoffs starts, that is this week as our last game is coming Sunday. Is that even possible? It does make some sense for him to warm up with Garza/Miller minutes.

[winforlose]

Tuesday is the four-week mark btw.

In this context I always love the words “ahead of schedule”

Glad to see Towns is running at full speed already

But seriously, if he is supposed to play before the playoffs starts, that is this week as our last game is coming Sunday. Is that even possible? It does make some sense for him to warm up with Garza/Miller minutes.

1. Karl’s injury is 4-6 weeks and he is recovering well. He has the best team that money can buy telling him how much he can allow himself to do, and they are giving him the green light.

2. There are only 4 games left. Using this as an on ramp to NBA conditioning is a major plus. It also helps him figure out his game in the context of how the team has changed without him.

3. I am BIG fan of Karl coming off the bench for the rest of the regular season. He should also have a minute restriction. It should be made clear to Karl that the priority is his health and recovery. He isn’t playing to simply help us win now, he is playing to get himself as close to 100% as possible for the playoffs where he will start and play big minutes. But, not killer/Garza minutes. Think when Ant is off the floor and maybe the final 3.

[Loaf_of_bread]

We have found an identity without him. Rushing karl into mix could potentially be a hindrance. I would like karl taking some of Kyle's minutes though. No reason to rush it.

When karl does return to a larger capacity in the playoffs, and if he doesn't perform well..., sentiments of: "guy was coming off an injury, and may have been a bit rusty", shouldn't fly. He needs to either show something this year in the playoffs when the pressure is on, or we move on. Doesn't matter what his overall value is.

[Calinks]

I'd really like to see him take more of a Naz role. Not saying only play that way but be more of a spacer and move the ball. Corner threes too. We haven't figured out how to optimally use him yet in this offense and we won't by the time this season and playoffs are over but he still can be super effective in a role where he isn't using all of his skills but just focussing on some elite ones. On offense he's a bit of a swiss atmy knfe but right now we only need him to be the screwdriver, bottle opener, and tweezers, we don't need every other tool.

[shrink]

We aren’t winning a championship this year or next year without Towns.

[Loaf_of_bread]

We aren’t winning a championship this year or next year without Towns.

That is a very bold claim. While kat's sample size in the playoffs is limited, he hasn't performed well. This year is a make or break as far as I'm concerned.

[Dalvin]

Would be nice to see him play against Phoenix and we crush them. So we could end the season strong

[Colbinii]

We aren’t winning a championship this year or next year without Towns.

We aren't winning a championship this year or next year with Towns.

[Colbinii]

We aren’t winning a championship this year or next year without Towns.

I'm not getting paid 1 Million Dollars if I work 0 hours a day at work.

I'm not getting paid 1 Million Dollars if I work 24 hours a day at work.

You have some really powerful and thoughtful statements sometimes Shrink

[Loaf_of_bread]

I'd really like to see him take more of a Naz role. Not saying only play that way but be more of a spacer and move the ball. Corner threes too. We haven't figured out how to optimally use him yet in this offense and we won't by the time this season and playoffs are over but he still can be super effective in a role where he isn't using all of his skills but just focussing on some elite ones. On offense he's a bit of a swiss atmy knfe but right now we only need him to be the screwdriver, bottle opener, and tweezers, we don't need every other tool.

I hear you, but karl has too much of an ego. Highly doubt it's possible for him to understand this.

[shrink]

I'd really like to see him take more of a Naz role. Not saying only play that way but be more of a spacer and move the ball. Corner threes too. We haven't figured out how to optimally use him yet in this offense and we won't by the time this season and playoffs are over but he still can be super effective in a role where he isn't using all of his skills but just focussing on some elite ones. On offense he's a bit of a swiss atmy knfe but right now we only need him to be the screwdriver, bottle opener, and tweezers, we don't need every other tool.

I hear you, but karl has too much of an ego. Highly doubt it's possible for him to understand this.

What other player in the NBA has so little ego, that they would win an All-NBA award at a position, and embrace their team bringing in a new player to take their position? Or would work so hard to try to change to integrate that new player? Name a few, in today’s NBA?

Towns has flaws, but he has clearly shown that “ego” does not prevent him from changing his game (hell, his POSITION) to help the team. No player has shown this more.

[thinktank]

We aren’t winning a championship this year or next year without Towns.

Now there’s an opinion!

[Wolveswin]

We aren’t winning a championship this year or next year without Towns.

That is a very bold claim. While kat's sample size in the playoffs is limited, he hasn't performed well. This year is a make or break as far as I'm concerned.

This. I hope it’s well enough that Wolves can get a ton of assets when they trade him.

[shrink]

We aren’t winning a championship this year or next year without Towns.

That is a very bold claim. While kat's sample size in the playoffs is limited, he hasn't performed well. This year is a make or break as far as I'm concerned.

This. I hope it’s well enough that Wolves can get a ton of assets when they trade him.

Even if this is true (and I think it is), it’s the “ton” part that’s the problem.

Towns is consolidated talent, perhaps a top 25-35 guy. You can only play 5 guys on the court at once, so those five are the ones impacting winning. Any trade for multiple assets (especially picks, but even players), means we dilute the talent we can put out there. Meanwhile, MIN has an excellent bench as well, with a couple players that could be starters. Bringing in multiple players minimizes impact, because some good players (new or existing) will get less minutes.

It has been a long time since a team without an elite superstar has won a championship. There was Detroit back in 2004, who had five “good” starters, but they were the exception. MIN right now is trying to compete without a top 5, maybe even top 10 player (though Ant can grow to this), and win with just three stars in the 25-35 range. That is hard enough, but even trading Towns for 2-3 top 75 players just dilutes us too much for playoff basketball.

A Towns trade for a “ton” of assets might help us maintain in the regular season, when depth and injuries affect a team’s overall record. However, in the playoffs benches shrink, and the only trade that comes to mine that maintains our playoff chances was the unlikely Durant deal. Similarly, maybe this summer we’ll see some players who are comparable to Towns or even better ask for a trade if their teams vastly under-perform their pre-season goals. But right now, when the goal is to win an NBA championship, it’s hard for me to see any likely Towns trade that moves us towards that goal.

[shrink]

We aren’t winning a championship this year or next year without Towns.

That is a very bold claim. While kat's sample size in the playoffs is limited, he hasn't performed well.

Actually, Towns has been in 16 playoff games, and averaged 18.6 points, 11.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists.

I know it feels like saying he hasn’t played well is correct, because our expectations are so high. If Naz put up Towns numbers, we’d say he played well. For Towns, I think saying “inconsistently” is a better word. In addition, I expect better from Towns in future playoffs, where he will be firmly in the #2 scoring option role, which fits him better.

[Colbinii]

Food for thought regarding Towns.

Gobert + ANT + Towns: 1004 Minutes, +8.0 Net Rtg, 121.5 Ortg, 113.5 Drtg
Gobert + ANT, No Towns: 812 Minutes, +12.5 Net Rtg, 114.0 Ortg, 104.5 Drtg
ANT + Towns, No Gobert: 433 Minutes, +11.3 Net Rtg, 121.5 Ortg, 110.2 Drtg

[Calinks]

Towns raises the ceiling a lot because of what he's capable of. Most of his issues in the post-season and issues with his game overall are mental, they are things that are easily correctable if he takes a different approach. It's not like he doesn't have the skills to be effective in the playoffs.

Now getting him to mentally focus ha s proven to be tough. Even then, not impossible as he has improved on a lot of that in this season. If he plays smart this post-season he can change the narrative. If he comes out making the same mistakes over and over, the team might move on from him.