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

[Domejandro]

Part One: Seven years of posting history consolidated into this one thread.

Continue discussion here.

[Rookie-Mistake]

After his play-offs performance I hope they don't pay him the supermax.


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[Shaka_Zulu]

After his play-offs performance I hope they don't pay him the supermax.


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[wolves_89]

It looks very likely that the Wolves will have KAT under team control for the next 6 years and Ant the next 7 years. Add in the new owners, new POBO, and Finch and I think the franchise currently has the most long term promise in the team's 33 year history.

[m2002brian]

After his play-offs performance I hope they don't pay him the supermax.


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That exact face, just no. Prime Madonna

[Klomp]

It looks very likely that the Wolves will have KAT under team control for the next 6 years and Ant the next 7 years. Add in the new owners, new POBO, and Finch and I think the franchise currently has the most long term promise in the team's 33 year history.

Continuity. Honestly, the only major piece that's uncertain is the arena deal. But with expansion on the horizon as opposed to relocation, I don't think that's a threat we need to worry about.

Obviously, the roster isn't perfect. Moves will be made. But I believe the franchise cornerstones are as cemented as they possibly could be.

[shrink]

I never understood why so many Wolves fans define KAT only by what he doesn’t do, and Ant only by what he does do?

If any other player had even one game where he put up a TYPICAL Towns stat line, we’d be gaga over him.

[Klomp]

I never understood why so many Wolves fans define KAT only by what he doesn’t do, and Ant only by what he does do?

For many fans, I think Towns represents the stink of the previous regimes whereas Edwards signals the growth of the franchise.

[Battletrigger]

I never understood why so many Wolves fans define KAT only by what he doesn’t do, and Ant only by what he does do?

If any other player had even one game where he put up a TYPICAL Towns stat line, we’d be gaga over him.

We can talk about he does too, whine and play soft all game long.

[m2002brian]

I never understood why so many Wolves fans define KAT only by what he doesn’t do, and Ant only by what he does do?

If any other player had even one game where he put up a TYPICAL Towns stat line, we’d be gaga over him.

We can talk about he does too, whine and play soft all game long.

You’ll see somewhere earlier in this thread someone saying KAT isn’t soft because he played hurt.
It seems to fall on deaf ears, but KAT is soft because his attitude. He’s mentally weak (soft). Isn’t a master of his craft. Lives purely off talent.

Anyone can play hurt. But it takes maturity to stay calm and not let the moment over take the larger picture.

His inability to not let the moment control him represents an attitude of me first. That’s not what it means to be a winner.


Why give ANT a pass?
A) younger yet more mature.
B) consistently puts other teammates first.
C) accepts responsibility (often) for mistakes and seeks to be better because of them.
D) Doesn’t come off as a egocentric ****.

[minimus]

He is not soft. Towns is often playing “emotionally drunk”. He needs to control his emotions, play with pace.

[shrink]

I never understood why so many Wolves fans define KAT only by what he doesn’t do, and Ant only by what he does do?

If any other player had even one game where he put up a TYPICAL Towns stat line, we’d be gaga over him.

We can talk about he does too, whine and play soft all game long.

You’ll see somewhere earlier in this thread someone saying KAT isn’t soft because he played hurt.
It seems to fall on deaf ears, but KAT is soft because his attitude. He’s mentally weak (soft). Isn’t a master of his craft. Lives purely off talent.

You are a perfect example of my point here.

Towns is one of the best shooting bigs ever. He is a constant offensive match up nightmare because he has every shot in the book, inside and outside. There is no way that is possible without mastering his craft. Talent alone would never let you master all those moves, or surpass so many other talented players in the NBA.

That isn’t too say he isn’t overly emotional, and that can sometimes cause problems. I agree with you there. But it is to say he is far MORE than just overly emotional, but again, some posters can’t acknowledge anything more than that.

[Slim Tubby]

I never understood why so many Wolves fans define KAT only by what he doesn’t do, and Ant only by what he does do?

If any other player had even one game where he put up a TYPICAL Towns stat line, we’d be gaga over him.

To me, his incessant whining deflects somewhat from how great a player he is. If he can clean that up and grow emotionally, the “critics” will disappear quickly. He has work to do, though.


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[m2002brian]

I never understood why so many Wolves fans define KAT only by what he doesn’t do, and Ant only by what he does do?

If any other player had even one game where he put up a TYPICAL Towns stat line, we’d be gaga over him.

To me, his incessant whining deflects somewhat from how great a player he is. If he can clean that up and grow emotionally, the “critics” will disappear quickly. He has work to do, though.


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100%
It is why I’m a critic. The whining reflects or maybe more accurately appears as a “me me me” attitude. It detracts from team success and shows a lack of situational awareness. The problem with situational awareness is, it’s needed in many aspects of the game beyond when and how to talk to the refs. If it’s lacking in one area, it’s likely to be lacking in other areas. Case in point Finches statements about shot selection throughout the Memphis series. And, when your “leader” lacks such awareness, it can trickle down.

If KAT can clean up his act, and let his game do the talking, I won’t be the only one he shuts up.

[shrink]

I never understood why so many Wolves fans define KAT only by what he doesn’t do, and Ant only by what he does do?

If any other player had even one game where he put up a TYPICAL Towns stat line, we’d be gaga over him.

To me, his incessant whining deflects somewhat from how great a player he is. If he can clean that up and grow emotionally, the “critics” will disappear quickly. He has work to do, though.

I’m with you. I really hate the whining, and it is becoming rampant among all the players in the NBA.

I worked as an umpire for one season, many years ago, to raise money for school. I swore I’d never do it again, because kids and even moreso the parents were just horrible. I imagine these days, with kids seeing all pro sports whine and throw tantrums, it’s has to be far worse, and Towns is one of the guys driving that bus.

[Krapinsky]

I never understood why so many Wolves fans define KAT only by what he doesn’t do, and Ant only by what he does do?

If any other player had even one game where he put up a TYPICAL Towns stat line, we’d be gaga over him.

I have a few musings about this.

There is the old adage about how some players are able to put up big numbers of bad teams. I think it's fair to question whether that has been KAT for the vast majority of his career. The team and offense around him has to expend so much effort for him to succeed, rather than KAT making the rest of the team better around him. All five players have to be in sync and sacrifice to get the guy a shot in a half court set. It's why on a team with KAT our point guard play always sticks out because an offense centered around KAT getting his touches is so dependent on stellar point guard play. Too many things have to go right. And it's easy to defend because it's predictable and the other side knows what we want to do. So the point is, that while KAT puts up gaudy numbers, those number come at a significant cost.

I think having a center like KAT be the focal point of an offense in today's NBA is a losing proposition unless he can be the main facilitator (like Jokic, Giannis, or even Draymond) or be physically dominant enough to create his own offense against most matchups (like Embiid). KAT is not elite in either area. He's a clear tier below. And that's not even taking into account his deficiencies at the other end. When's that last time a team won a championship paying max money to a defensively challenged second tier franchise center? I don't think it's ever happened.

Then there is Ant. The rest of the team doesn't have to sacrifice for him. They just need to get out of the way, or be ready to play off his action. Ant presents unlimited upside whereas KAT is a finished product. I'm more worried about what the finished product can't do than what the guy with unlimited upside can't do. There is still hope that he will correct the warts in his game. The same can't be said about KAT.

[Klomp]

I never understood why so many Wolves fans define KAT only by what he doesn’t do, and Ant only by what he does do?

If any other player had even one game where he put up a TYPICAL Towns stat line, we’d be gaga over him.

To me, his incessant whining deflects somewhat from how great a player he is. If he can clean that up and grow emotionally, the “critics” will disappear quickly. He has work to do, though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

100%
It is why I’m a critic. The whining reflects or maybe more accurately appears as a “me me me” attitude. It detracts from team success and shows a lack of situational awareness. The problem with situational awareness is, it’s needed in many aspects of the game beyond when and how to talk to the refs. If it’s lacking in one area, it’s likely to be lacking in other areas. Case in point Finches statements about shot selection throughout the Memphis series. And, when your “leader” lacks such awareness, it can trickle down.

If KAT can clean up his act, and let his game do the talking, I won’t be the only one he shuts up.

So how does that make him not a master of his craft?

[m2002brian]

To me, his incessant whining deflects somewhat from how great a player he is. If he can clean that up and grow emotionally, the “critics” will disappear quickly. He has work to do, though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

100%
It is why I’m a critic. The whining reflects or maybe more accurately appears as a “me me me” attitude. It detracts from team success and shows a lack of situational awareness. The problem with situational awareness is, it’s needed in many aspects of the game beyond when and how to talk to the refs. If it’s lacking in one area, it’s likely to be lacking in other areas. Case in point Finches statements about shot selection throughout the Memphis series. And, when your “leader” lacks such awareness, it can trickle down.

If KAT can clean up his act, and let his game do the talking, I won’t be the only one he shuts up.

So how does that make him not a master of his craft?

Masters of craft have incredible discipline. Nuff said.

[flyindutchman]

I never understood why so many Wolves fans define KAT only by what he doesn’t do, and Ant only by what he does do?

If any other player had even one game where he put up a TYPICAL Towns stat line, we’d be gaga over him.

Easy, one has been in the league 5 years longer. Once Ant shows the same deficiencies for 7 years, you'll hear the same negative songbirds chime in.

[Klomp]

I never understood why so many Wolves fans define KAT only by what he doesn’t do, and Ant only by what he does do?

If any other player had even one game where he put up a TYPICAL Towns stat line, we’d be gaga over him.

Easy, one has been in the league 5 years longer. Once Ant shows the same deficiencies for 7 years, you'll hear the same negative songbirds chime in.

So you'd be one of those who would get on Shaq for never developing a jumper?