Karl-Anthony Towns Traded to New York (Official Discussion Thread)

[BlacJacMac]

I didn’t believe it, but it’s apparently true! Here are the regular season games played in the last 5 seasons.

Towns 250 games
George 263 games
Porzingas 267 games
Embiid 275 games
Anunoby 277 games

For the record, Randle missed a lot of time last year, playing only 46 games. However, he still played 330 games over the last five. You never know if the most recent injury is the one a player never recovers from, but if he can get back to 100%, he has a better recent injury profile than KAT.

At least Randle's injury was to his non-shooting shoulder.

[Norseman79]

Reid was, by far, our worst big defender in the Playoffs.

We don't beat Denver without KAT defending Jokic and we don't sweep Phoenix without KAT checking Durant.

Gobert couldn't keep up in screens & KAT couldn't rim protect. Reid was the best mix of those 2.

In addition to the offensive initiation improvement, while Randle may not be some notably good defender either, he provides more d versatility to the Wolves.

Overall there are more d options in the playoffs. Though I see a gap in small ball 4's, which existed before. I think someone sufficient of that profile ought to be addressed. Maybe trade Alexander-Walker. Could match up better w/ Luka's of the NBA.

Naz Reid is a largely hideous defensive player, that take is pretty off if I'm being honest.

It's one of the reasons why I would start him. You can hide in between McDaniels and Gobert.

Two things. One I think we need to be going after a backup center that's legit sized and can defend and rebound. We got pretty small after Rudy now. Two, I wonder if there is any thought to bringing Conley off the bench?

PG - DD, Conley, Rob
SG - Ant, Naw, Shannon
SF - McDaniels, Ingles, Minott
PF - Reid, Randle, Miller
C. - Gobert, ????,Garza

That's how I would organize the depth chart, I'm sure other people have different views which is fine.

[cmoss84]

I wouldn't mind randle for cam thomas...

[guest81]

Reid was, by far, our worst big defender in the Playoffs.

We don't beat Denver without KAT defending Jokic and we don't sweep Phoenix without KAT checking Durant.

Gobert couldn't keep up in screens & KAT couldn't rim protect. Reid was the best mix of those 2.

In addition to the offensive initiation improvement, while Randle may not be some notably good defender either, he provides more d versatility to the Wolves.

Overall there are more d options in the playoffs. Though I see a gap in small ball 4's, which existed before. I think someone sufficient of that profile ought to be addressed. Maybe trade Alexander-Walker. Could match up better w/ Luka's of the NBA.

Naz Reid is a largely hideous defensive player, that take is pretty off if I'm being honest.

On the other hand he played the kat role way better then kat when he was hurt

[MNRunLeft]

On the other hand he played the kat role way better then kat when he was hurt

If the Wolves never got that extended look at Naz as a starter down the stretch last year maybe the Wolves never consider this move. By moving KAT now vs next offseason when people knew the rubber might meet the road it gives them a year to get a bigger look at Naz in the expanded role before his next deal. Naz fits the Ant timeline and while KAT and Ant had a good relationship seems like there is an even better one with Naz and Jaden.

[shrink]

Naz Reid is a largely hideous defensive player, that take is pretty off if I'm being honest.

On the other hand he played the kat role way better then kat when he was hurt

What I found interesting was that KAT was asked to play the Naz Reid role when he came back before the playoffs, to not disrupt chemistry. Finch went on and on in his interview with Britt about how much KAT sacrificed for this team.

Reid doesn’t have the skills to play the KAT role. Yet. The way that guy works and adds to his game, I am never going to say never for that guy.

[shrink]

Read on Twitter

[Cappy_Smurf]

I have a hard time believing the plan is to plan Randle next to Rudy. Utah had high hopes for a Gobert/Favors front court, but offensively they just never could make it work.

Like others, I kept telling myself there had to be more to this trade. Divenenzo must be a better player than most of us realize, otherwise I just don't get this at all.

[vtime]

Randle has been an All Star the last 2 seasons and 3 of the last 4. His 5 year career with the Knicks was 22.6ppg and 9.9rpg. He’s not coming off the bench. He’s probably an All Star again this year if he plays enough games. What you lose in shooting at the 4, you gain in ft attempts, lightening Edwards creation burden. Lastly, Tim Connelly has earned the benefit of the doubt.

[BlacJacMac]

Randle is only an All-Star this year if the Wolves get moved East…

[Neeva]

If wolves are top two in west at the break I can see Randall making it if he’s averaging 22 plus. They won’t vote Rudy in since he is hated so much around the league.

[Shaka_Zulu]

Randle has been an All Star the last 2 seasons and 3 of the last 4. His 5 year career with the Knicks was 22.6ppg and 9.9rpg. He’s not coming off the bench. He’s probably an All Star again this year if he plays enough games. What you lose in shooting at the 4, you gain in ft attempts, lightening Edwards creation burden. Lastly, Tim Connelly has earned the benefit of the doubt.

Half the mid tier allstars in eastern conference would NEVER get a single all-star nod if they were in the western conference.

Unless it's an unique scenario of high end role player who has championship year like Wiggins did with Warriors. But otherwise in general way too many elite tier talent in western conference for mid tier guys to sniff all-star nods.

[younggunsmn]

So apparently Keita Bates-Diop is heading to Minnesota in the trade and Daquan Jeffries is getting 6-7 million with only one guaranteed year in a Sign and Trade to Charlotte to make the money work, sliding into their room exception.

Strange thing is that it puts the Knicks like 1.5 million below the 2nd apron, with only 12 guaranteed contracts.
Since they are hard capped at the 2nd apron by aggregating players in a trade, they can't fill the last 2 necessary roster spots.
They are going to have to dump more salary in another trade to fill out their roster with minimum guys (Shamet and Marcus Morris).

That's not even accounting for Julius Randle's 4.1 million trade kicker, which would be paid by the knicks, but they wouldn't get to use as outgoing salary.

The cap gymnastics necessary to make the trade work financially for the knicks are interesting.
The only other small salaries they can trade before dec 15th are jericho sims and their recent draft picks Kolek and Dadiet.
Their next lowest tradeable salary are McBride at 4.4 and mitchell robinson at 14 million, 2 rotation guys they want to keep.

I would have loved to get Sims in the deal, he's on a minimum contract and could offer a defensive backup to Gobert.

Bates-Diop would put us at 15 guaranteed contracts plus the partially guaranteed Dozier.
Good chance we try to salary dump a minimum guy or two before the season starts.

[younggunsmn]

We might have the best bench in the league now with DDV and Naz Reid, along with Ingles, NAW, Shannon and Dillingham.

A lot hinges on Gobert staying healthy though as we get awfully small on the interior in a hurry if he gets hurt, and Naz and Randle spending a lot of time together defensively is probably something we are going to try to limit as much as possible.

[shrink]

So apparently Keita Bates-Diop is heading to Minnesota in the trade.

Does that mean Garza gets cut, or partially-guaranteed Dozier?

[younggunsmn]

So apparently Keita Bates-Diop is heading to Minnesota in the trade.

Does that mean Garza gets cut, or partially-guaranteed Dozier?

Dozier. Or maybe even Minott.

[younggunsmn]

Update on the Knicks cap situation:

Read on Twitter

[guest81]

We might have the best bench in the league now with DDV and Naz Reid, along with Ingles, NAW, Shannon and Dillingham.

A lot hinges on Gobert staying healthy though as we get awfully small on the interior in a hurry if he gets hurt, and Naz and Randle spending a lot of time together defensively is probably something we are going to try to limit as much as possible.

Yea if your second best player goes down you're probably screwed but that's pretty much every team in the league

[shrink]

We might have the best bench in the league now with DDV and Naz Reid, along with Ingles, NAW, Shannon and Dillingham.

A lot hinges on Gobert staying healthy though as we get awfully small on the interior in a hurry if he gets hurt, and Naz and Randle spending a lot of time together defensively is probably something we are going to try to limit as much as possible.

Yea if your second best player goes down you're probably screwed but that's pretty much every team in the league

Mike has to stay healthy too. Good thing we don’t need back ups for our 32 and 36 year olds!

[guest81]

We might have the best bench in the league now with DDV and Naz Reid, along with Ingles, NAW, Shannon and Dillingham.

A lot hinges on Gobert staying healthy though as we get awfully small on the interior in a hurry if he gets hurt, and Naz and Randle spending a lot of time together defensively is probably something we are going to try to limit as much as possible.

Yea if your second best player goes down you're probably screwed but that's pretty much every team in the league

Mike has to stay healthy too. Good thing we don’t need back ups for our 32 and 36 year olds!

Big reason why they brought in donte and drafted Rob. I also think we're going to see a lot of point Ant