***The Trade Karl-Anthony Towns Thread***

[Araxen]

I think after last night it shows the time has come to trade KAT. He isn't worth giving a supermax extension too if he gets All-NBA. I'd rather spend that money elsewhere to improve the team.

Get the most you can for him, and build around Ant.

[TheZachAttack]

"KAT has limitations and isn't a top 5 NBA players so we should trade him for someone worse". Not sure I see the logic.

I'll bite even though I shouldn't. Why not just build around Ant as your #1 scorer and let KAT play more of a #2 in terms of shot creation off of Ant if you're worried? You know who is a great player to build around Ant as a superstar with? One of the top 10 most efficient perimeter shooters and scorers in the league who can pull bigs from the lane and open up space for Ant and prevent teams from being able to double him.

How does it help the Wolves to trade away a player that teams worry so much about offensively that they send double and triple teams and force that attention on Ant?

[life_saver]

such a knee jerk thread...atleast wait until playoffs are over before opening thread like this rather than overreacting on a single game. A full series against Grizzlies will say much about KAT's playoff performances than a single game vs a team against whom he has struggled even in regular season

[winforlose]

I think after last night it shows the time has come to trade KAT. He isn't worth giving a supermax extension too if he gets All-NBA. I'd rather spend that money elsewhere to improve the team.

Get the most you can for him, and build around Ant.

You are so quick to pull the rug out from under KAT after a bad game 83, but do you ever wonder if we make it past game 82 without him? I remember games where Ant had 7 and Dlo had 6. KAT has been the work horse that carried us to the postseason. KAT is worth a supermax by virtue of qualifying for a supermax. You think it is easy to make all NBA? One or two good games doesn’t get you there. If Embiid with his injury history and taking games is off and Jokic are both first team, then KAT and Gobert are the only two logical names for second and third team center. You want to start a thread like this have the guts to make the suggested trade so we can hear your alternative. Also it’s not like supermax free agents are banging down our door.

[KGdaBom]

I think after last night it shows the time has come to trade KAT. He isn't worth giving a supermax extension too if he gets All-NBA. I'd rather spend that money elsewhere to improve the team.

Get the most you can for him, and build around Ant.

You are so quick to pull the rug out from under KAT after a bad game 83, but do you ever wonder if we make it past game 82 without him? I remember games where Ant had 7 and Dlo had 6. KAT has been the work horse that carried us to the postseason. KAT is worth a supermax by virtue of qualifying for a supermax. You think it is easy to make all NBA? One or two good games doesn’t get you there. If Embiid with his injury history and taking games is off and Jokic are both first team, then KAT and Gobert are the only two logical names for second and third team center. You want to start a thread like this have the guts to make the suggested trade so we can hear your alternative. Also it’s not like supermax free agents are banging down our door.

We might make it to game 83 without KAT, but only because team #10 was well below 500 record IIRC.

[Calinks]

Yikes

[theGreatRC]

we can build around Ant without having to trade KAT, you just have to establish that this is Ant's team, which I think the playoffs will show us who is really about that life

[shangrila]

I was on the trade KAT wagon earlier in the year (hell, if I wasn’t driving it I’d have been riding shotgun at minimum).

I’m not going to say we trade him because of last nights game and, as a 2nd option, I think he’s fine. I do worry about his defensive limitations causing issues and I’ve given up on him ever maturing, but no 2nd guy is perfect.

My fear moving forward is that he’s going to command the Supermax and not only is he not worth that, it’s enough to single-handedly ruin our cap. So I’d rather trade him at that point, especially given his other issues.

But otherwise? Well, it’s Ant’s team regardless of KAT so it doesn’t matter much either way.

[Klomp]

I was on the trade KAT wagon earlier in the year (hell, if I wasn’t driving it I’d have been riding shotgun at minimum).

I’m not going to say we trade him because of last nights game and, as a 2nd option, I think he’s fine. I do worry about his defensive limitations causing issues and I’ve given up on him ever maturing, but no 2nd guy is perfect.

My fear moving forward is that he’s going to command the Supermax and not only is he not worth that, it’s enough to single-handedly ruin our cap. So I’d rather trade him at that point, especially given his other issues.

But otherwise? Well, it’s Ant’s team regardless of KAT so it doesn’t matter much either way.

It is hopefully Ant's team for the next 15-20 years. But let's not fool ourselves: he will need help. Part of giving the keys of the franchise means surrounding him with great talent. One such talent could be an all-NBA center who is one of the two best big man shooters of all-time. If you get a king's ransom for that talent, fine. Don't turn down every trade just because it has his name in it. But I also don't think it's wise to be seeking out a trade unless there's some level of friction in the locker room or within the organization.

[m2002brian]

I was on the trade KAT wagon earlier in the year (hell, if I wasn’t driving it I’d have been riding shotgun at minimum).

I’m not going to say we trade him because of last nights game and, as a 2nd option, I think he’s fine. I do worry about his defensive limitations causing issues and I’ve given up on him ever maturing, but no 2nd guy is perfect.

My fear moving forward is that he’s going to command the Supermax and not only is he not worth that, it’s enough to single-handedly ruin our cap. So I’d rather trade him at that point, especially given his other issues.

But otherwise? Well, it’s Ant’s team regardless of KAT so it doesn’t matter much either way.

Is there room for one more on this ride?

KAT is ultra talented. Can do amazing things. But his attitude is not something this team needs.
All the guys posting “trade him for someone less talented” stop the bs. We wouldn’t trade him for one less talented guy. It would be picks and multiple talented guys. The best way to move forward IF there was a trade… best picks possible plus two or three guys who score 10+ ppg and play above average defense. Probably at least one starting big.
There are more ways to skin a KAT, I mean cat, than having just one scorer who knocks himself out of games and can’t control his emotions. 19 games this year he either had 5 fouls or more (fouled out). That’s a lot of games where he is not on the court to help his team. What good it talent on the bench?
I find the short sightedness of a lot of posters off putting. At some point the consideration of trading KAT needs to happen in a constructive critical kind of way. How is it possible to subtract KAT and all his talent, and somehow actually get better? Because to say it’s not possible is like saying the KP trade to Washington was stupid (not comparing KAT to KP). At the time of the trade it was stated fairy universally that the Mavs were out of their minds. Turns out you can make a trade that others don’t understand, and still get better.

[winforlose]

I was on the trade KAT wagon earlier in the year (hell, if I wasn’t driving it I’d have been riding shotgun at minimum).

I’m not going to say we trade him because of last nights game and, as a 2nd option, I think he’s fine. I do worry about his defensive limitations causing issues and I’ve given up on him ever maturing, but no 2nd guy is perfect.

My fear moving forward is that he’s going to command the Supermax and not only is he not worth that, it’s enough to single-handedly ruin our cap. So I’d rather trade him at that point, especially given his other issues.

But otherwise? Well, it’s Ant’s team regardless of KAT so it doesn’t matter much either way.

Is there room for one more on this ride?

KAT is ultra talented. Can do amazing things. But his attitude is not something this team needs.
All the guys posting “trade him for someone less talented” stop the bs. We wouldn’t trade him for one less talented guy. It would be picks and multiple talented guys. The best way to move forward IF there was a trade… best picks possible plus two or three guys who score 10+ ppg and play above average defense. Probably at least one starting big.
There are more ways to skin a KAT, I mean cat, than having just one scorer who knocks himself out of games and can’t control his emotions.
I find the short sightedness of a lot of posters off putting. At some point the consideration of trading KAT needs to happen in a constructive critical kind of way. How is it possible to subtract KAT and all his talent, and somehow actually get better? Because to say it’s not possible is like saying the KP trade to Washington was stupid (not comparing KAT to KP). At the time of the trade it was stated fairy universally that the Mavs were out of their minds. Turns out you can make a trade that others don’t understand, and still get better.

I follow your logic, and made a similar argument before the deadline. My thing was KAT and Dlo for Turner, Sabonis, Duarte, (I think Lamb was a toss in for the money,) then flip Sabonis for some combo of players (it was Dejounte Murray and Keldon Johnson.) In any case, moving KAT means also moving Dlo and vice versa. The problem is that KAT truly is an elite player who consistently draws the defensive focus. Ant has way too many bad games or 3 quarter no shows with one amazing quarter to be the focus of the team. Even dropping 30 Ant still needed an all star level Dlo to beat the Clippers without KL. Ant has superstar potential, but one superstar isn’t enough, and it would take a ton of talent to make that up. Add to that we are full of up and comers who need minutes, and unless we tear down and rebuild we really should focus on fixing the roster and growing from where we are now.

[Klomp]

Multiple things can be true:
1. Towns struggled under the pressure put on by the Clippers.
2. Extra pressure gave both Russell and Edwards more room to work.

You use No. 1 as a reason to trade Towns, while I believe No. 2 is exactly why it's important to keep Towns. It isn't a situation of Towns and Edwards operating in the same space and getting in each other's way, as it was for James and Westbrook. It isn't a personality conflict as it was for Bryant and O'Neal or even Doncic and Porzingis. Why try to solve a problem that isn't there?

[MN7725]

I was on the trade KAT wagon earlier in the year (hell, if I wasn’t driving it I’d have been riding shotgun at minimum).

I’m not going to say we trade him because of last nights game and, as a 2nd option, I think he’s fine. I do worry about his defensive limitations causing issues and I’ve given up on him ever maturing, but no 2nd guy is perfect.

My fear moving forward is that he’s going to command the Supermax and not only is he not worth that, it’s enough to single-handedly ruin our cap. So I’d rather trade him at that point, especially given his other issues.

But otherwise? Well, it’s Ant’s team regardless of KAT so it doesn’t matter much either way.

we should hope that Wolves can lock KAT into max/supermax deal before the new TV deal kicks in and salaries spike like they did in 2016, best possible scenario

[jscott]

Yeah.. no thanks. KAT and Ant work well together. Not rushing to move a guy who is only 25.

[Domejandro]

The idea of trading Towns is unbelievably silly, in my opinion. Not sure why fans of this team are so allergic to building success and stability.

[Klomp]

Multiple things can be true:
1. Towns struggled under the pressure put on by the Clippers.
2. Extra pressure gave both Russell and Edwards more room to work.

You use No. 1 as a reason to trade Towns, while I believe No. 2 is exactly why it's important to keep Towns. It isn't a situation of Towns and Edwards operating in the same space and getting in each other's way, as it was for James and Westbrook. It isn't a personality conflict as it was for Bryant and O'Neal or even Doncic and Porzingis. Why try to solve a problem that isn't there?

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[Nick K]

I think after last night it shows the time has come to trade KAT. He isn't worth giving a supermax extension too if he gets All-NBA. I'd rather spend that money elsewhere to improve the team.

Get the most you can for him, and build around Ant.

This is a ridiculous and totally stupid idea to trade Kat after a bad game. OK, he had a bad game. So what. The guys not pefect. Who is? His overall numbers are stellar. You couldn't get equal value no matter how hard you tried.
Trading Kat is just a horrible idea. Period.

[Slim Tubby]

I think after last night it shows the time has come to trade KAT. He isn't worth giving a supermax extension too if he gets All-NBA. I'd rather spend that money elsewhere to improve the team.

Get the most you can for him, and build around Ant.

This is a ridiculous and totally stupid idea to trade Kat after a bad game. OK, he had a bad game. So what. The guys not pefect. Who is? His overall numbers are stellar. You couldn't get equal value no matter how hard you tried.
Trading Kat is just a horrible idea. Period.

Agreed. One bad game, double and triple teamed, is not a summary definition of the player, KAT is special and flawed.


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[minimus]

I think after last night it shows the time has come to trade KAT. He isn't worth giving a supermax extension too if he gets All-NBA. I'd rather spend that money elsewhere to improve the team.

Get the most you can for him, and build around Ant.

It is funny that you had to wait 83 games to create this thread. Previous seasons it would take like 10 games

[floppymoose]

I think it's a great idea to trade him now. Not because he had one bad game, but because his value i think is higher right now than at any point in the future, and I agree with the OP that you build around Ant.