Re: Trade Talk (Part Twelve): 2023 Playoff Push Edition

[younggunsmn]

I’m pretty much prepared to trade Karl-Anthony Towns for loose couch change, a stale bag of Doritos, and a used condom, after tonight’s performance.

Same. That performance against absolute scrubs sealed it for me a game after getting treated like a lamp post by Anthony Davis after Gobert left the game.

In no world are we getting Bridges, but BRK is a great trade partner with all those unprotected 1sts they got from Dallas and Phoenix.
Unfortunately KAT can't be traded until the new league year starts in July (so no '23 picks).
Also unfortunately, Ben SImmons might be the most obvious salary match, although I'd love to get our hands on Dinwiddie and FInney-Smith or Claxton. But we need to get as many of those 1sts as we possibly can.

[younggunsmn]

Wow reading the wiretap about the extra restrictions on teams in the 2nd lux tax tier (17.5 mil above the tax).
Can't send out money in trades (no more buying draft picks), Can't trade future 1st round picks, can't sign players on the buyout market (no more ringchasers), can't take in more salary than they receive in trade, no MLE or LLE.

Hopefully it kind of serves as a soft "hard cap" because those restrictions have some actual teeth this time.
The current Warriors team would be gutted if they had to operate under those rules the past few years.

[Note30]

I’m pretty much prepared to trade Karl-Anthony Towns for loose couch change, a stale bag of Doritos, and a used condom, after tonight’s performance.

Same. That performance against absolute scrubs sealed it for me a game after getting treated like a lamp post by Anthony Davis after Gobert left the game.

In no world are we getting Bridges, but BRK is a great trade partner with all those unprotected 1sts they got from Dallas and Phoenix.
Unfortunately KAT can't be traded until the new league year starts in July (so no '23 picks).
Also unfortunately, Ben SImmons might be the most obvious salary match, although I'd love to get our hands on Dinwiddie and FInney-Smith or Claxton. But we need to get as many of those 1sts as we possibly can.

I know there's no chance of a 1:1 swap with Brooklyn but I'd rather have Bridges and Harris than the picks.

Would probably move Conley to the bench and play

Ant, Bridges, McDaniels, Anderson, Gobert.
Conley, NAW, Harris, Prince, Reid

I also think we're being hasty about moving Towns.

[shangrila]

Yeah, Towns needs to go. It wasn't entirely his fault but you can't talk **** and then come out with that performance.

I think we're headed for a Lillard/Aldridge situation (ironically). Unfortunately it will take Towns asking out for this team to move him but I could see him asking out now, especially since he got his bag.

[Domejandro]

Still hoping we can get Scoot for him though or at least Bridges.

Mikal?

I can’t see Brooklyn being even remotely interested in that deal.

Bridges plays a more coveted position, is as good of a perimeter defender as there is in the game, has proven to have way more offensive ability than he showed in Phoenix, is on a criminally cheap contract and doesn’t miss games.

I totally believe Brooklyn turned down four #1s for him.

Especially with the impending salary cap changes, I don’t see any world where Brooklyn trades the never-injured Mikal Bridges and his golden contract.

[Dewey]

I would not be sorry to see KAT moved and Finch likely needs to be replaced … we have some bad culture here and need to remove it. SloMo nails it when he says it’s about outworking the opponent - we don’t. Teams know that they can beat MN by simply outworking us, and the fact we will not match that intensity - instead, we will just shoot more ill-advised shots and never consider it’s really about the lack of effort. You can see this happening right in front of all to see…

[Colbinii]

I would not be sorry to see KAT moved and Finch likely needs to be replaced … we have some bad culture here and need to remove it. SloMo nails it when he says it’s about outworking the opponent - we don’t. Teams know that they can beat MN by simply outworking us, and the fact we will not match that intensity - instead, we will just shoot more ill-advised shots and never consider it’s really about the lack of effort. You can see this happening right in front of all to see…

You make some good points here, and for whatever reason, the lack of intensity and effort has been the only staple for the Timberwolves during the KAT era.

Gobert and Conley are both intense players--as is SlowMo.

I'm not against keeping Finch--in fact I think Finch is fine coach [I think there are 2-3 actually bad coaches in the NBA and Finch isn't one of them]. But, if someone like Nurse becomes available, he should be a primary candidate.

As for KAT trades--I doubt we get 100% on the dollar. Is 75% good enough?

[Krapinsky]

It certainly felt like the team was beginning to gel for a bit and get a sense of identity, playing big, lots of ball movement, and with Naz being more of a focal point on offense. Now Naz is out entirely, replaced with Towns who trails every possession, stops ball movement, can't punish smaller players, and doens't get back on defense. The team is once again searching for an identity with Towns as a focal point. But I'm afraid it's too late to have to recreate ourselves once again this season.

[Note30]

I would not be sorry to see KAT moved and Finch likely needs to be replaced … we have some bad culture here and need to remove it. SloMo nails it when he says it’s about outworking the opponent - we don’t. Teams know that they can beat MN by simply outworking us, and the fact we will not match that intensity - instead, we will just shoot more ill-advised shots and never consider it’s really about the lack of effort. You can see this happening right in front of all to see…

You make some good points here, and for whatever reason, the lack of intensity and effort has been the only staple for the Timberwolves during the KAT era.

Gobert and Conley are both intense players--as is SlowMo.

I'm not against keeping Finch--in fact I think Finch is fine coach [I think there are 2-3 actually bad coaches in the NBA and Finch isn't one of them]. But, if someone like Nurse becomes available, he should be a primary candidate.

As for KAT trades--I doubt we get 100% on the dollar. Is 75% good enough?

LOL what - yeah KAT is soft, but Gobert is just as soft. Gobert is intense in what sense? I've never seen that man hustle.

Conley I get, he legitimately has points in games where you can see he's leaving it all on the floor.

[Dewey]

I would not be sorry to see KAT moved and Finch likely needs to be replaced … we have some bad culture here and need to remove it. SloMo nails it when he says it’s about outworking the opponent - we don’t. Teams know that they can beat MN by simply outworking us, and the fact we will not match that intensity - instead, we will just shoot more ill-advised shots and never consider it’s really about the lack of effort. You can see this happening right in front of all to see…

You make some good points here, and for whatever reason, the lack of intensity and effort has been the only staple for the Timberwolves during the KAT era.

Gobert and Conley are both intense players--as is SlowMo.

I'm not against keeping Finch--in fact I think Finch is fine coach [I think there are 2-3 actually bad coaches in the NBA and Finch isn't one of them]. But, if someone like Nurse becomes available, he should be a primary candidate.

As for KAT trades--I doubt we get 100% on the dollar. Is 75% good enough?

I think we can 90%…

But something is up with KAT and I’m not sure I wanna see him get hurt right now - that would destroy any off-season. I’m just not sold he wants to be here, and if I’m a betting man, he’ll be a Brooklyn Net.

[minimus]

I have been biggest Towns supporter, but to be honest I'd do Mikal Bridges and Joe Harris for Towns. The key here is... Naz Reid! If Bridges bargain contract will help us to keep Reid it will improve massively our bench and create deep rotation at wings. Plus Joe Harris can fill role of big 3pt sniper we need.

Gobert/Reid/Garza
MCD/Anderson/Knight
Bridges/TP/Minott
Edwards/Harris/Moore
Conley/JMac/NAW

[BlacJacMac]

I have been biggest Towns supporter, but to be honest I'd do Mikal Bridges and Joe Harris for Towns. The key here is... Naz Reid! If Bridges bargain contract will help us to keep Reid it will improve massively our bench and create deep rotation at wings. Plus Joe Harris can fill role of big 3pt sniper we need.

Gobert/Reid/Garza
MCD/Anderson/Knight
Bridges/TP/Minott
Edwards/Harris/Moore
Conley/JMac/NAW

Again, Zero % chance.

I think KAT likely still has good trade value, but we're not getting Bridges for him. Billy King isn't running the Nets anymore.

[Note30]

I have been biggest Towns supporter, but to be honest I'd do Mikal Bridges and Joe Harris for Towns. The key here is... Naz Reid! If Bridges bargain contract will help us to keep Reid it will improve massively our bench and create deep rotation at wings. Plus Joe Harris can fill role of big 3pt sniper we need.

Gobert/Reid/Garza
MCD/Anderson/Knight
Bridges/TP/Minott
Edwards/Harris/Moore
Conley/JMac/NAW

Jmac better not be on this team next year. Bench Conley, start Anderson, draft a Rookie.

Also this is all super wishful thinking like I said.

[minimus]

I have been biggest Towns supporter, but to be honest I'd do Mikal Bridges and Joe Harris for Towns. The key here is... Naz Reid! If Bridges bargain contract will help us to keep Reid it will improve massively our bench and create deep rotation at wings. Plus Joe Harris can fill role of big 3pt sniper we need.

Gobert/Reid/Garza
MCD/Anderson/Knight
Bridges/TP/Minott
Edwards/Harris/Moore
Conley/JMac/NAW

Again, Zero % chance.

I think KAT likely still has good trade value, but we're not getting Bridges for him. Billy King isn't running the Nets anymore.

First, Towns is definitely at lowest point of his career because of injury and missed games which lead to complete out of sync on the floor. I can see Towns value skyrocketing playing in Brooklyn with much simpler five/four out.

Second, I can see why Brooklyn can be interested in pairing Towns offense with mobile defenders such as Claxton and/or Simmons.

Third, Towns still have four full years in his contract. He is not locker room cancer and true professional. Plus he is New Jersey native.

[BlacJacMac]

I have been biggest Towns supporter, but to be honest I'd do Mikal Bridges and Joe Harris for Towns. The key here is... Naz Reid! If Bridges bargain contract will help us to keep Reid it will improve massively our bench and create deep rotation at wings. Plus Joe Harris can fill role of big 3pt sniper we need.

Gobert/Reid/Garza
MCD/Anderson/Knight
Bridges/TP/Minott
Edwards/Harris/Moore
Conley/JMac/NAW

Again, Zero % chance.

I think KAT likely still has good trade value, but we're not getting Bridges for him. Billy King isn't running the Nets anymore.

First, Towns is definitely at lowest point of his career because of injury and missed games which lead to complete out of sync on the floor. I can see Towns value skyrocketing playing in Brooklyn with much simpler five/four out.

Second, I can see why Brooklyn can be interested in pairing Towns offense with mobile defenders such as Claxton and/or Simmons.

Third, Towns still have four full years in his contract. He is not locker room cancer and true professional. Plus he is New Jersey native.

But Bridges has 3 extremely cheap years on his contract, has become a legitimate 2-way superstar at the most coveted position and never misses games.

KAT will be making 36M, 50M, 54M and 58M the next 4 years. And after being an Iron Man his first 4 years he's missed a ton of games the past 4.

No way they trade him to us for KAT.

[Neeva]

Superstar, calm down , you should make at least one all star game to get called that. You are underestimating Kat’s value because of one bad game.

[BlacJacMac]

Superstar, calm down , you should make at least one all star game to get called that. You are underestimating Kat’s value because of one bad game.

He's one of the very best perimeter defenders in the game and has unlocked offensive ability that he was never able to show in Phoenix. I'll take playing like a superstar over previously voted as one every time.

Add in that he's a wing - not a big, his contract and his durability and he has more trade value than KAT.

Read on Twitter

[Klomp]

KAT will be making 36M, 50M, 54M and 58M the next 4 years. And after being an Iron Man his first 4 years he's missed a ton of games the past 4.

This is a great point concerning his current trade value, even though it hasn't always necessarily been his fault.

[Klomp]

I think this is the turning point for Towns, and may ultimately be the beginning of the end. Has to be eye-opening for Connelly.

[Domejandro]

I dropped a spicy one on the T&T forum.

Picks can be negotiated, but this is the basic format...

______________________________________________________

BRK: Karl-Anthony Towns and Brandon Clarke
OUT: Ben Simmons and Mikal Bridges

Why for Brooklyn? Get an All-NBA center who fits well with the rest of their roster. Dump the worst contract in the NBA.

Why not for Brooklyn? Mikal Bridges' contract is awesome.

Spencer Dinwiddie / Patty Mills / Edmond Sumner
Joe Harris / Cam Thomas /
Dorian Finney-Smith / Royce O'Neal
Karl-Anthony Towns / Cameron Johnson (RFA)
Nic Claxton / Day'Ron Sharpe

______________________________________________________

MIN: Ben Simmons, Mikal Bridges, and Tyus Jones
OUT: Karl-Anthony Towns, Mike Conley, and Taurean Prince

Why for Minnesota? Go all-in on defense and bring in a younger Point-Guard.

Why not for Minnesota? Taking on Ben Simmons is absurdly rough.

Tyus Jones / Jordan McLaughlin
Anthony Edwards / Nickeil Alexander-Walker (RFA)
Mikal Bridges / Kyle Anderson / Wendell Moore Jr.
Jaden McDaniels / Ben Simmons / Josh Minott
Rudy Gobert / Naz Reid (resign) / Nathan Knight (UNG)

Final defensive stop lineup of...
Ben Simmons / Mikal Bridges / Jaden McDaniels / Kyle Anderson / Rudy Gobert
______________________________________________________

MEM: Mike Conley and Taurean Prince
OUT: Tyus Jones and Brandon Clarke

Why for Memphis? Bring back Mike Conley and get a quality backup forward. Clear Brandon Clarke's salary.

Why not for Memphis? Tyus is a solid young player.

Ja Morant / Mike Conley
Desmond Bane / Luke Kennard
Taurean Prince / Ziaire Williams / Jake LaRavia
Jaren Jackson Jr. / Santi Aldama / David Roddy
Steven Adams / Xavier Tillman Sr.

(Potentially resign Dillon Brooks)
______________________________________________________