Baseline81 wrote:Klomp wrote:Brought this over from the trade thread...
Baseline81 wrote:I am not on the "Towns must go" ship -- even I recognize his value. However, I just don't see, at this point, how it will increase much more than it already is. One, with Edwards' emergence, he's no longer the first option on offense. Two, he'll continue playing next to Gobert. As such, his numbers will never reach what they did prior to the trade. And finally, his salary will only look worse ($36M in 2023-24 to $$49M in 2024-25).
If Towns can retain his efficiency on a lower volume and team success comes with it, his value absolutely can improve. Lower volume can also allow Towns to focus more of his energy on defense. KAT's most efficient scoring season of his career came in 2017-18 (the Butler season). It was his second-lowest shooting volume of his career (14.3 FGApg), almost four shots less than the season below.
I think minds are mostly made up about Towns, and I think that's kinda what you are referring to here. However,
his "issues" (whining, fouls, lack of winning) are largely correctable. The question next year will become whether what he provides will be worth the money he makes. That's why improving in those areas is important for him.
I also think a season of relative health will be important for his narrative. His fall from being an iron-man pre-COVID to missing a large chunk of time in three of the last four seasons is just as big of an effect on his narrative as his on-court production has been.
Are they?
I want to believe they are, however, we, as a collective, have been bringing up "these" same issues for several years now. As some point, he is who he is, Klomp.
1.) Whining - I think everyone needs to take an objective view at KAT post injury this season. While it didn't get much attention, the difference in his demeanor towards refs/whining about calls was drastically different. Sure there were still a few blips here and there, but he was much better about it to the point where I think he can definitely change in that regard.
2.) Fouls - Without having the pressure to be a rim protector/defensive anchor as a big man, I think that inherently will give him potential to lessen his fouling, but that will come with time and trusting Gobert and other teammates. On offense he has to learn to use Gobert/floaters more, so that he doesn't get charges when he commits to a drive and defenses see it coming (and take an easy charge). On defense he needs to understand that there is help potential with Gobert/Jaden/Edwards, so that when he gets a bad angle, he doesn't try to go for a Gorgui style desperate block to make up for it. If he knows someone is behind him with the potential to help, he won't have to feel the need to try and save the basket (also I think understanding that giving up an easy basket here and there is better compared to picking up a foul often times).
3.) Winning - it's a team sport at the end of the day and when KAT hasn't had to be the undisputed top guy carrying the team, the Wolves have won games. It's just that most of the rosters in his 8 years have been so bad that outside of playing like a league MVP, they didn't really have much potential to win. It's rare for a single player to be the catalyst to team success, but KAT is definitely not an empty stats guy, he like most other very good players, needs a supporting cast around him that produces... which is what they have now. For the first time they have a team that without KAT can be .500, that doesn't mean they should get rid of KAT, it means that it's no longer all on him (and that's a good thing!).
