PorkChop wrote:I remember starting a thread during last year's season asking if you would trade Towns ( and pieces) to the Knicks for Randle, RJ Barrett , Dennis Smith and their 1st round pick. It was overwhelmingly panned. I wonder what this team would look like with Randle, Barrett and both firsts now? I would bet alot better off.
Wiseman
Randle
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Anthony
Deangelo
I might be the most pro-Julius Randle person on this board -- both then and now -- and I was against that trade. I still am, to be honest. I think the Wolves can and should get a better package than that for Karl-Anthony Towns.
Same here. Also is Randle having a career year because Thibs is riding him every game
What would you get from a none contending team that's better than Randle ,Barrett and a 1st? Multiple Firsts that you hope to be better than them? Contending team's aren't giving up their best talent. Their looking to add to it.
I continue to believe that the best trade partners for Towns are Boston, Phoenix, and Atlanta in that order. They can combine intriguing, proven young talent with a number of picks to make a worthwhile package.
What talent do those teams have that trump Randle that they would be willing to give up? Plus a later first round pick?
The Knicks are currently 4 in the east specifically becuz of Randle and Barrett. But not good enough for our last place in the league team?
Boston: Jaylen Brown, Daniel Theis, Marcus Smart, Payton Pritchard
Phoenix: Mikal Bridges, Deandre Ayton, Cameron Johnson, Jalen Smith
Atlanta: John Collins, DeAndre Hunter, Kevin Huerter, Onyeka Okongwu, Cam Reddish
Those are the attractive and tradable pieces I think those teams could offer in some fashion with the bolded being absolute musts in any deal. I'm not saying Minnesota would get all of the names listed, but some kind of combination plus draft capital would be a significant haul for the Wolves and one that I would be in favor of if they decided to move Karl-Anthony Towns.
Thanks for posting those two possible Aaron Gordon deals from Bleacher Report. I hadn't seen them. My first thought is that I fully expect the Wolves to trade for Aaron Gordon by the March trade deadline. The one thing we know about Rosas is that once he falls for a player and pursues him, he'll keep pursuing him until he gets him and then won't let them go, even if it means grossly overpaying. He's done that thus far with Beasley, Juancho, DLO and Ricky. It was widely reported that Rosas was pursuing Aaron Gordon this past off-season. Gersson is about as predictable as the come, so I think Gordon will be a T-Wolf before the trade deadline passes. And Orlando surely knows by now that they can fleece the determined, not so bright, Rosas, who is certainly more desperate now than he was before this season started.
I would do the first deal you posted in a nanosecond. I just don't see Orlando doing that deal. I'd be tempted to do the second deal, but I honestly don't think the Magic would do that deal either. And I'm not crazy about it for the Wolves. Even if Orlando would do that deal for DLO, Rosas wouldn't. My prediction is that Rosas will ink a deal that brings Gordon here and that Gersson's outgoing package will include McDaniels and Culver along with some other assets.
Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, Celtics swingman Jaylen Brown, and Hornets forward Miles Bridges are among the players who have turned down invitations to participate in the 2021 slam dunk contest, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. Pelicans star Zion Williamson also passed on the event, Haynes adds (via Twitter).
I don't really care that these guys turned down the dunk contest as it's truly a personal decision if they want to partake in that event or not. What I will say is that those four names would have put on a fantastic show along with Obi Toppin, Anfernee Simons, and Cassius Stanley who have already thrown their name into the ring. That would have been one of the bouncier groups of dunkers the league has had in the same contest in recent memory.
I was just perusing box scores from last night. LaMello Ball had 30 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds, 4 steals and a block. He hit 5 of his 7 three-point attempts. He wasn't my choice in the draft, but Rosas could have drafted him. As it turns out, Edwards had a better smile. Oh, and Edwards ignored his trainer's instructions in a workout, telling his trainer, "that's not they way they play in Minnesota." There's no getting around the fact that Rosas isn't very bright. You can get him with a smile and a solicitous appeal to his ego.
Also, I'm fully rooting for Zach LaVine to win the three-point shooting contest. How many guys have won that competition in addition to the dunk contest in their career? Has anyone done it? I don't think so.
Love both of those trade scenarios with the Magic. I floated something similar to the first one before the season started. Gordon is one of those guys you don't like unless he is on your team. He would help us a lot.
In a league where shooting rules the day, so many on this board have championed for more defensive players that have potential to become better shooters. And so far not a one of them have panned out. The idea of Gordon ( 42% , worst of his career) on this team that is bereft of shooting is just another example .
Do some players become better shooters? Yes. But most NBA players come into the league for the skills they already have. Better coaching and training will get the most out of those skills. But if u can't shoot and lack the confidence to do so, playing against the best and fastest players in the world on a nightly basis is gonna make it more difficult to improve upon said weaknesses. Look at Westbrook, one of the best players in the league. But he can't shoot and relies on his athleticism to mask his shooting deficiencies. He's one of a kind. Yet we expect our less athletic none shooting players to figure it out offensively?
Good point, Pork. The Wolves are not only one of the worst defensive teams in the League, they are also one of the worst offensive teams. In that context, it's hard to see how the acquisition of a good defender who doesn't shoot well will materially improve this team.
Is this the nadir for this hapless franchise? Have things gotten so pathetic that we spend 2 pages analyzing a potential trade of a group of underachieving players their own teams don't even want, as if it would have any significant impact on either team?
Hmmm...do you think this deck chair would look better on the starboard or port side of the Titanic?
