Cool's Two Things I Didn't Like Last Night +1

[Coolbreeze44]

This is the official post you can rip me on without me being able to reply. Anyone can post, but only the 6 winners can rip me. So with that being said, here is the pre-allstar edition of the 2+1:

1) You knew the game was going to get tighter in the 4th quarter, but did it really have to come down to the last possession? Finchie had to take Rudy off the court so we could guard the perimeter game. It was a move that had to be made but hopefully we can execute with Rudy on the floor at the end of games. I really hope this was just another developmental piece as this team matures into what we hope it will become. The 4th quarter was hard but fun at the same time.

2) Let's see, I have to be somewhat controversial to give you winners some fuel. Here goes: Unless KAT comes back and this team takes off at a .667 - .700 clip, I still support moving KAT in the offseason. With Ant and Jaden becoming key building blocks, I think we can turn this thing over to them. Moving KAT would replenish the draft pick cabinet and also allow us to bring back another established young NBA player who can start. Rudy has plenty of years left and we really don't need a two-headed center. But we do need draft capital to help supplement our roster as we become contenders. KAT is ultra talented offensively, but we can live with out him.

Plus 1 - Rudy and Jaden scored 40 points on a combined 16 of 17 from the floor. I'd say that's pretty efficient. You throw in Ant's bully drives and you saw a glimpse into the immediate future. Ant and Jaden are now surrounded by a great veteran cast who can teach them the way to be pros. They already have the talent, now it needs to be polished. I can't wait for the next game.

And that's Cool's 2 + 1 for last night's tilt.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Good stuff, Cool. I have toyed with the idea of trading Karl-Anthony Towns, as I'm sure we all have at various points, but I'm back to keeping him as my preferred option. I can envision this version of Anthony Edwards having a much easier time slashing to the rim with a knockdown-shooting five in Towns spotted up at either slot or in the corners.

Edwards is making it work with Rudy Gobert by having exceptional body control and finesse on his drives, but he's having to Euro-step through two and three defenders at times. Let's get some of that clutter out of the paint. Gobert is what he is and the opinions on him will differ, but he's not a threat outside of two feet away from the rim, which means opposing bigs are often just waiting to meet Edwards (or Jaden McDaniels, etc.) once he beats his initial defender. Defenses have to respect Towns on the perimeter, period.

I also realize that I've been taking Towns' touch near the rim for granted these past few years. You don't notice it as much when it becomes your norm, but any time he's in the paint it's almost an automatic make for him. He makes the putbacks. He makes the over-the-shoulder hooks. He makes the awkward runners. His ability to make those shots with ease is a huge difference from what we've seen from his replacement. If Gobert isn't able to catch the ball cleanly and dunk it, there is no feeling of confidence that he'll convert, at least not for me. He misses easy layups somewhat routinely and won't even attempt simple hook shots knowing that he'll throw them off the glass. This isn't to knock Gobert as much as it is to say that Towns is money on those opportunities. I appreciate it much more with us not having him on the floor this season.

[60WinTim]

I, too, prefer to see this team with KAT. Especially with Conley at PG.

Conley, Edwards, Jaden, KAT, Gobert with JMac, Prince and SloMo is really good depth for your top 8 players in a playoff series. Sprinkle in minutes from Nowell, Rivers and Naz as needed. There is also a number of solid crunch time lineups that can be put together out of that group, depending on matchups. And those top 8 players are all signed for next as well. Let's see what they can do this and next.

[FNG]

Cool, your post might be the dumbest one I have ever read in this forum. Trade KAT? Terrible idea. You may be right that we don't need a two-headed center, but KAT isn't a center...he's a stretch 4, and he fits perfectly next to a traditional NBA center. Only a complete moron would advocate trading our best 3-point shooter.

But what really makes your post so completely stupid is the last sentence of your second point. Who in the hell would ever spell "without" "with out"? Come on, Cool...you gotta be better than this. You're bringing the board down.


(did I do it right?)

[Porckchop]

I'm with ya Cool. This team has never taken off with a healthy Kat. At this point he is what he is. He has more value in trade returns than he does with on court play IMO. Don't wait for diminishing returns.

[Coolbreeze44]

Cool, your post might be the dumbest one I have ever read in this forum. Trade KAT? Terrible idea. You may be right that we don't need a two-headed center, but KAT isn't a center...he's a stretch 4, and he fits perfectly next to a traditional NBA center. Only a complete moron would advocate trading our best 3-point shooter.

But what really makes your post so completely stupid is the last sentence of your second point. Who in the hell would ever spell "without" "with out"? Come on, Cool...you gotta be better than this. You're bringing the board down.


(did I do it right?)

:thumb: :-d

[TAFKASP]

I'm good with trading KAT if it doesn't work out with him, but IMO it'd be best to do so at next years trade deadline. I know it wasn't working prior to his injury, but it's still too small of a sample size to cut bait this off season. That said, I wouldn't be upset if they do. ANT and Jaden are the future!

[Lipoli390]

I'm not opposed to possibly trading KAT. But if the issue is the KAT/Gobert pairing, then you trade the 30 year old guy with bad hands who can't hit shots more than a foot-and-a-half from the basket rather than the 27 year old 24/11 big who is elite offensively in multiple ways, including post scoring, drives and three-point shooting. You only trade KAT if you believe it is necessary to acquire players you're convinced will do more to amplify the talents of Ant and Jaden or who align better chronologically with those two. And if you trade KAT for those reasons, then you definitely trade Rudy who is 10 years older than Edwards and who makes it harder for Ant to take full advantage of his dribble drive game.

[Tactical unit]

Not trading Naz at the deadline speaks pretty loud and clear to me on the chances of KAT being traded. I don't think they will have Rudy, KAT, & Naz going into the start of next season so something has to give. If MN can get more value than they should for KAT it would kinda make up for giving more value than they should have for Rudy.

I think you nailed it Cool, unless Towns comes back and is amazing on both sides of the ball he very well could be gone.

[Monster]

Not trading Naz at the deadline speaks pretty loud and clear to me on the chances of KAT being traded. I don't think they will have Rudy, KAT, & Naz going into the start of next season so something has to give. If MN can get more value than they should for KAT it would kinda make up for giving more value than they should have for Rudy.

I think you nailed it Cool, unless Towns comes back and is amazing on both sides of the ball he very well could be gone.

If the reports are true and Naz can be resigned for less than or mid-level money and wants to come back that's why he isn't gone. Sure maybe they resign Naz and trade another big but regardless resigning Naz for that kind of money makes a ton of sense to me.