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

[younggunsmn]

Could someone explain the difference between Towns and Brown's max contract. I think both their extensions kicks in 2024(?) Towns is 224/4 56m per year. Brown is 304/5 60m per year. Aren't all supermax supposed to be the same 35% of cap? Or is the starting salary is based on the cap of the day they sign instead of the season when it starts?

They will make the exact same salary with Brown getting an extra year at ~69 million, because he signed his extension a year later than KAT and thus was eligible to be extended one year further out.

First 4 years would be 234.6 million total for each assuming the cap rises the max 10% next summer.
I broke those numbers down in the trade thread.

The 224 number didn't take the cap spikes into account or that his extension starting point was based off the % of that 2024 cap.
Hoopshype had his 2024 salary at 50 mil for a long time and very recently upped it to 52,150,000.
The number I had with a 10% cap bump would be 52.37 million, so they are very close now.

KAT and Jaylen Brown
2024/25 - 52,368,085
2025/26 - 56,557,532
2026/27 - 60,746,979
2027/28 - 64,936,426
Total = 234,609,022

Jaylen Brown
2028/29 - 69,125,873
Total = 303,734,895

Side note: I learned (re-learned, I knew this at one point lol) today that year to year raises are not compounded in NBA contracts.
They can only rise year to year by a % (8% in this this case) of the 1st year of non rookie scale or minimum contracts.

[Klomp]

I think under a different lens, Towns could/should be viewed much differently nationally. Kinda like this guy.

Read on Twitter

[TimberKat]

I think under a different lens, Towns could/should be viewed much differently nationally. Kinda like this guy.

Read on Twitter

Regardless if Towns' a center or pfd. His numbers so far are HOF level. I think he just need 4 more years at the same level to get in. Is Pau a CT or pfd? Maybe one can see which HOF'er has the least playoff success and see how he stack up against them.

[Klomp]

Regardless if Towns' a center or pfd. His numbers so far are HOF level. I think he just need 4 more years at the same level to get in. Is Pau a CT or pfd? Maybe one can see which HOF'er has the least playoff success and see how he stack up against them.

I wasn't trying to say KAT should be HOF, btw. But Pau probably wasn't quite there either 8 years in. Towns a little behind, since current years equivalent to Gasol after the first title in Los Angeles. Towns also probably won't have the same HOF boost as Gasol did with FIBA play factoring in.

But then think about a few other parallels:
-Neither are Tier 1 bigs.
-Temperament (both guys labeled "soft", both a little quirky and misunderstood).
-Neither is great on defense.
-Neither really could carry a franchise on their own.
-Both joined up with an all-timer at SG who is a fierce competitor (projection with Ant, but we all see it)
-Both connected to an all-time trade (OK, I know I'm starting to reach a bit)

[TimberKat]

Regardless if Towns' a center or pfd. His numbers so far are HOF level. I think he just need 4 more years at the same level to get in. Is Pau a CT or pfd? Maybe one can see which HOF'er has the least playoff success and see how he stack up against them.

I wasn't trying to say KAT should be HOF, btw. But Pau probably wasn't quite there either 8 years in. Towns a little behind, since current years equivalent to Gasol after the first title in Los Angeles. Towns also probably won't have the same HOF boost as Gasol did with FIBA play factoring in.

But then think about a few other parallels:
-Neither are Tier 1 bigs.
-Temperament (both guys labeled "soft", both a little quirky and misunderstood).
-Neither is great on defense.
-Neither really could carry a franchise on their own.
-Both joined up with an all-timer at SG who is a fierce competitor (projection with Ant, but we all see it)
-Both connected to an all-time trade (OK, I know I'm starting to reach a bit)

Yes, agree with you. Who really carry a franchise by themselves anyway? Did Jordan do that? Certainly, LBJ didn't. You always team up with others and does it really matter if he is the alpha or Ant is the alpha? For HOF, I think Towns # compare really well with Chris Webber's number

[Calinks]

Regardless if Towns' a center or pfd. His numbers so far are HOF level. I think he just need 4 more years at the same level to get in. Is Pau a CT or pfd? Maybe one can see which HOF'er has the least playoff success and see how he stack up against them.

I wasn't trying to say KAT should be HOF, btw. But Pau probably wasn't quite there either 8 years in. Towns a little behind, since current years equivalent to Gasol after the first title in Los Angeles. Towns also probably won't have the same HOF boost as Gasol did with FIBA play factoring in.

But then think about a few other parallels:
-Neither are Tier 1 bigs.
-Temperament (both guys labeled "soft", both a little quirky and misunderstood).
-Neither is great on defense.
-Neither really could carry a franchise on their own.
-Both joined up with an all-timer at SG who is a fierce competitor (projection with Ant, but we all see it)
-Both connected to an all-time trade (OK, I know I'm starting to reach a bit)

Yes, agree with you. Who really carry a franchise by themselves anyway? Did Jordan do that? Certainly, LBJ didn't. You always team up with others and does it really matter if he is the alpha or Ant is the alpha? For HOF, I think Towns # compare really well with Chris Webber's number

It's a fallacy. No one carries a franchise on their own to prolonged winning. Their is definitely a top guy but they need a lot of help. Steph Curry had possibly the second best shooter ever as a sidekick through his championship years. Jokic couldn't get to the finals without Murray going HAM and Gordan being fantastic. As great as guys like Dame Lillaird, Allen Iverson, KG, Charles Barkley, etc. were, they could not win big on their own, it's not done. Joel Embiid shows us this every season and he's a top MVP candidate for the last 5 years, his team gets wrecked every playoffs because he can never get consistent help and then he himself gets folded at some point in the playoffs.

[Nick K]

I wasn't trying to say KAT should be HOF, btw. But Pau probably wasn't quite there either 8 years in. Towns a little behind, since current years equivalent to Gasol after the first title in Los Angeles. Towns also probably won't have the same HOF boost as Gasol did with FIBA play factoring in.

But then think about a few other parallels:
-Neither are Tier 1 bigs.
-Temperament (both guys labeled "soft", both a little quirky and misunderstood).
-Neither is great on defense.
-Neither really could carry a franchise on their own.
-Both joined up with an all-timer at SG who is a fierce competitor (projection with Ant, but we all see it)
-Both connected to an all-time trade (OK, I know I'm starting to reach a bit)

Yes, agree with you. Who really carry a franchise by themselves anyway? Did Jordan do that? Certainly, LBJ didn't. You always team up with others and does it really matter if he is the alpha or Ant is the alpha? For HOF, I think Towns # compare really well with Chris Webber's number

It's a fallacy. No one carries a franchise on their own to prolonged winning. Their is definitely a top guy but they need a lot of help. Steph Curry had possibly the second best shooter ever as a sidekick through his championship years. Jokic couldn't get to the finals without Murray going HAM and Gordan being fantastic. As great as guys like Dame Lillaird, Allen Iverson, KG, Charles Barkley, etc. were, they could not win big on their own, it's not done. Joel Embiid shows us this every season and he's a top MVP candidate for the last 5 years, his team gets wrecked every playoffs because he can never get consistent help and then he himself gets folded at some point in the playoffs.

That's right. Even Michael Jordan couldn't win in Chicago the first 5 years being a one man show. Basketball is a team game. Look at how beautifully those championship Bulls teams were constructed. Solid to great players at every position with guys that knew their roles.

[Klomp]

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

[minimus]

Read on Twitter

I know this might be focal length question, but his feet look awkwardly big

[Dewey]

Read on Twitter

I know this might be focal length question, but his feet look awkwardly big

Micky Mouse!!!!

[Klomp]

I know this might be focal length question, but his feet look awkwardly big

He's a size 20

[Nick K]

I know this might be focal length question, but his feet look awkwardly big

He's a size 20

Them some big feet. Shaq was a size 21.

You know what they say about big hands and big feet....big shoes and big gloves.

[minimus]

Watch on YouTube

[frankenwolf]

So I am scrolling through my news feed and see this headline "Minnesota has no interest in Karl-Anthony Towns" and I think WTF??
Turns out someone put the wrong name in the headline. It should have read "Portland has no interest in Karl Anthony Towns" Which is something I already knew. For one second, though, I thought the Wolves had lost their minds!

The headline was on hoops hype.

[shrink]

So I am scrolling through my news feed and see this headline "Minnesota has no interest in Karl-Anthony Towns" and I think WTF??
Turns out someone put the wrong name in the headline. It should have read "Portland has no interest in Karl Anthony Towns" Which is something I already knew. For one second, though, I thought the Wolves had lost their minds!

The headline was on hoops hype.

That’s so funny! And I think you’re like me, looking anywhere for Wolves content while we are in the most boring month of the NBA calendar.

I’m desperate enough for content right now that I listen to all the Lock’d On Wolves podcasts, which I normally don’t have time for during the season. Ben Beeckon does an OK job (though he needs to learn the CBA). Anyway, he must also be searching for Wolves content to produce a daily (or three times a week) show. Unfortunately, he spends a lot of time rebuting national feedback from his favorite people who really don’t follow the Wolves. For example, he’ll do a show about, “Can you believe this Bleacher Report writer thinks the Wolves should make this bad McDaniels trade?!?” Yes, I can believe it, because it’s Bleacher Report.

I feel like it would be like me writing six paragraphs here about someone’s weird fake trade on the RealGM Trade board!

[KGdaBom]

Watch on YouTube

Fun.

[Klomp]

I want to present a discussion point.

Everyone sees this 7-footer and says he needs to get his butt in the post. They drooled over his Kentucky highlights, and wonder why he can't do that in the NBA.

What people need to remember is that has never been his primary game. He's not a traditional post player. Kentucky was literally the first time he ever got his butt in the post and learned post moves. Go back and watch his high school footage, where he played far more like say Rashard Lewis on offense.

Watch on YouTube

[TimberKat]

Yes, Towns was more a AD type player. Here is John Calipari talk about Towns. A lot of good insight. He is the one that make Towns to develop a low post game. Towns knows how to play outside in. That is why I believe the Gobert/Towns pairing could work. Towns do need to work on how best use his size to drive to the basket instead of pickup silly charges. Does need to mix in some post game just like any forward needs to do.

https://www.si.com/college/2016/11/16/john-calipari-book-excerpt-kentucky-karl-anthony-towns

[Note30]

I want to present a discussion point.

Everyone sees this 7-footer and says he needs to get his butt in the post. They drooled over his Kentucky highlights, and wonder why he can't do that in the NBA.

What people need to remember is that has never been his primary game. He's not a traditional post player. Kentucky was literally the first time he ever got his butt in the post and learned post moves. Go back and watch his high school footage, where he played far more like say Rashard Lewis on offense.

Watch on YouTube

I mean I don't think it's a skill issue. He can play on all parts of the court pretty well for a big. Towns played pretty well in the post his first few years when he had the appropriate spacing and Rubio mass spamming entry passes to him. He probably won't have a massive issue playing the high post skill wise as you mentioned was his game in HS. He's basically been doing nothing but outside in since he was younger.

It's a spacing issue.

[shrink]

I was happy with how KAT played smart and stayed under control in the Italy game, unfortunately against Angola he fell back into his worst habits. He made very poor choices and then lost his composure when he didn't like the refs calls (resulting a technical which also counts as a foul). I'm hoping Finch takes a more proactive approach to KAT this season and pulls him whenever he seems on the verge of spiraling out of control. It's usually pretty obvious when KAT is starting to lose it, so rather than waiting to see if he can self-correct just give him a stint on the bench.

I thought this was a good post, and that it might generate some interesting discussion.

Towns must be a very difficult player to coach. It’s not that he’s a bad guy, or he refuses to listen, or that he’s stupid, or that he doesn’t put in the work (you don’t get that skilled without a ton of work!). He just seems to be emotional and have issues with matching his role to his personal image of himself. He is also very sensitive about what everyone thinks about him, and for years, he’s heard that he’s just empty stats, who can’t get a team to the playoffs — and even when MIN makes the playoffs, other players get the credit, and people move the goal line and say he can’t get the team to the second round. I don’t think historically MIN did him any favors either, when the first half of his career his supporting cast was the wrong draft picks and tanking by February. I think he sees even more unfairness in that he doesn’t get the superstar calls from refs that his peers get. Then an emotional guy acts out, people dislike him more, and it just adds to the cycle.

I am hoping that having a national, positive focus on Ant will help Towns feel he isn’t playing under a spotlight. He may continue to not receive superstar calls, but he doesn’t have to carry the team every night. He is tremendously talented, and while he may not have the mentality (or position) to be a true #1, he could be one of the best #2’s in the entire NBA. I think he’s willing to accept that role (I give him credit for being so welcoming of Gobert), but Finch and Connelly are going to have to be very careful walking the line to not insult the sensitive Towns, if they want to get the most out of him. I agree a quick hook when you see him start to get emotional will save him from silly fouls, but they need to do it in a way that he doesn’t feel further penalized for (what he sees as), bad calls. There is a tremendous amount of value this team can get out of Towns if they play it right, and deal with his emotionalism correctly.