KAT trade ideas

[Lipoli390]

People around the NBA believe Knicks eventually end up with Karl-Anthony Towns


Several NBA sources over the past couple of years have expressed they believe the Knicks will ultimately end up with Karl-Anthony Towns, a CAA client. 4 days ago – via Eric Pincus @ Bleacher Report

I think a lot of teams would love to have KAT. So there will undoubtedly be a market for KAT if and when the Wolves decide to trade him. I think his trade value can only go up after this summer as he comes off an injury-plagued season that forced him to miss the vast majority of games. Therefore, if TC is smart, he won’t seriously consider trading KAT until next summer. Nevertheless, this thread is for speculating on possible KAT trades this summer. So I’ll offer a couple thoughts.

Apparently, there’s been speculation among NBA people for a couple years that KAT will end up with the Knicks. I’m not sure how much stock to put in that. It’s probably groundless speculation based solely on the fact that KAT is from that area in which case I’d say it’s just as likely he ends up with the Nets. But when I look more closely at possible destinations this summer, the Knicks strike me as the most realistic trading partner for KAT for three reasons. First, the Knicks came close enough this season to reasonably believe they only need to add one more all-star to pair with Brunson to catapult them into contention and that now is the time to do that. Second, they can probably acquire KAT without gutting their current core. Finally, they have assets that would make sense for the Wolves.

Knicks players that could make sense for the Wolves include:

Quickley,
Grimes,
Barrett,
Mitchell,
Hart, and
Hartenstein

Meanwhile, the Knicks can trade any of their own future first-round picks in years 2025 through 2029. They have incoming first round picks, but I wouldn’t be interested in the first-round picks from Detroit or Washington because they’re too heavily protected and will likely end up converting to second round picks. The 1st-round pick from Dallas is intriguing because it’s only protected 1-10. On the other hand, I can see Dallas having a top 10 pick the next few years. The future NY picks I’m interested in for the Wolves are:

Knicks own 2005, 2007 picks (unprotected) and 2029 1st-round pick (maybe top 4 protected)
Milwaukee’s 2025 1st-round pick, which is only be top 4 protected.
Utah’s 2024 2nd-round pick, which will likely be pretty high in the second round
Detroit’s 2024 2nd-round pick, which will probably be very high in the second round
Detroit’s 2025 2nd-round picks, will should still be pretty high in the second round

Among the players, I’d insist on getting Quickley as part of any return package. Among the picks, my favorite is Milwaukee’s 2005 first because I see the Bucks as an aging team that is likely to decline in the next two years and they’re one major injury to Giannis from being a high lottery team. So I’d insist on that pick along with some other picks as part of any return package for KAT. I’d also insist on at least two of the Knicks’ own first-round picks and Detroit’s 2024 second round pick, which will likely be in the 31-35 range.

I don’t have a particular trade suggestion, but I would expect any deal with the Knicks to be built around the assets I’ve singled out as priority targets in exchange for KAT. The broad outline of a deal would include Quickley and other players along with Milwaukee’s 2005 1st, NY’s 2005 1st, NY’s 2007 1st and Detroit’s 2004 2nd. NY would still have their own 1st round picks in 2024, 2026, 2028 and 2029 along with incoming second round picks from Miami, Detroit, and Brooklyn. They’d also have potential incoming first rounders from Dallas, Detroit and Washington in 2024. So the Knicks could make the deal without emptying their draft coffers to the degree the Wolves did in the Gobert deal.

I still think the Wolves could make a lesser trade with the Knicks involving Rudy instead of KAT. I just have a gut feeling that Thibs would love to have a veteran defensive big like Gobert to win sooner rather than later with Brunson, Barrett and others on their current roster. But the return for the Wolves would obviously be far less than what we could get for KAT.

If I were in TC’s shoes, any trade conversations regarding KAT would start with the Brooklyn Nets and would be focused on Mikal Bridges.

[WildWolf2813]

Long story short, not gonna happen with NY or BK

[kekgeek]

People around the NBA believe Knicks eventually end up with Karl-Anthony Towns


Several NBA sources over the past couple of years have expressed they believe the Knicks will ultimately end up with Karl-Anthony Towns, a CAA client. 4 days ago – via Eric Pincus @ Bleacher Report

I think a lot of teams would love to have KAT. So there will undoubtedly be a market for KAT if and when the Wolves decide to trade him. I think his trade value can only go up after this summer as he comes off an injury-plagued season that forced him to miss the vast majority of games. Therefore, if TC is smart, he won’t seriously consider trading KAT until next summer. Nevertheless, this thread is for speculating on possible KAT trades this summer. So I’ll offer a couple thoughts.

Apparently, there’s been speculation among NBA people for a couple years that KAT will end up with the Knicks. I’m not sure how much stock to put in that. It’s probably groundless speculation based solely on the fact that KAT is from that area in which case I’d say it’s just as likely he ends up with the Nets. But when I look more closely at possible destinations this summer, the Knicks strike me as the most realistic trading partner for KAT for three reasons. First, the Knicks came close enough this season to reasonably believe they only need to add one more all-star to pair with Brunson to catapult them into contention and that now is the time to do that. Second, they can probably acquire KAT without gutting their current core. Finally, they have assets that would make sense for the Wolves.

Knicks players that could make sense for the Wolves include:

Quickley,
Grimes,
Barrett,
Mitchell,
Hart, and
Hartenstein

Meanwhile, the Knicks can trade any of their own future first-round picks in years 2025 through 2029. They have incoming first round picks, but I wouldn’t be interested in the first-round picks from Detroit or Washington because they’re too heavily protected and will likely end up converting to second round picks. The 1st-round pick from Dallas is intriguing because it’s only protected 1-10. On the other hand, I can see Dallas having a top 10 pick the next few years. The future NY picks I’m interested in for the Wolves are:

Knicks own 2005, 2007 picks (unprotected) and 2029 1st-round pick (maybe top 4 protected)
Milwaukee’s 2025 1st-round pick, which is only be top 4 protected.
Utah’s 2024 2nd-round pick, which will likely be pretty high in the second round
Detroit’s 2024 2nd-round pick, which will probably be very high in the second round
Detroit’s 2025 2nd-round picks, will should still be pretty high in the second round

Among the players, I’d insist on getting Quickley as part of any return package. Among the picks, my favorite is Milwaukee’s 2005 first because I see the Bucks as an aging team that is likely to decline in the next two years and they’re one major injury to Giannis from being a high lottery team. So I’d insist on that pick along with some other picks as part of any return package for KAT. I’d also insist on at least two of the Knicks’ own first-round picks and Detroit’s 2024 second round pick, which will likely be in the 31-35 range.

I don’t have a particular trade suggestion, but I would expect any deal with the Knicks to be built around the assets I’ve singled out as priority targets in exchange for KAT. The broad outline of a deal would include Quickley and other players along with Milwaukee’s 2005 1st, NY’s 2005 1st, NY’s 2007 1st and Detroit’s 2004 2nd. NY would still have their own 1st round picks in 2024, 2026, 2028 and 2029 along with incoming second round picks from Miami, Detroit, and Brooklyn. They’d also have potential incoming first rounders from Dallas, Detroit and Washington in 2024. So the Knicks could make the deal without emptying their draft coffers to the degree the Wolves did in the Gobert deal.

I still think the Wolves could make a lesser trade with the Knicks involving Rudy instead of KAT. I just have a gut feeling that Thibs would love to have a veteran defensive big like Gobert to win sooner rather than later with Brunson, Barrett and others on their current roster. But the return for the Wolves would obviously be far less than what we could get for KAT.

If I were in TC’s shoes, any trade conversations regarding KAT would start with the Brooklyn Nets and would be focused on Mikal Bridges.

I just want to say it’s easier to trade Kat this year than next. If they trade him next offseason wolves would need to find 20 extra million in salary coming back. So Kat on court value could go up but making the financial work of a trade become a lot harder next year.

I’m not advocating for Kat trade for or against. Just wanted to say that

[Lipoli390]

People around the NBA believe Knicks eventually end up with Karl-Anthony Towns


Several NBA sources over the past couple of years have expressed they believe the Knicks will ultimately end up with Karl-Anthony Towns, a CAA client. 4 days ago – via Eric Pincus @ Bleacher Report

I think a lot of teams would love to have KAT. So there will undoubtedly be a market for KAT if and when the Wolves decide to trade him. I think his trade value can only go up after this summer as he comes off an injury-plagued season that forced him to miss the vast majority of games. Therefore, if TC is smart, he won’t seriously consider trading KAT until next summer. Nevertheless, this thread is for speculating on possible KAT trades this summer. So I’ll offer a couple thoughts.

Apparently, there’s been speculation among NBA people for a couple years that KAT will end up with the Knicks. I’m not sure how much stock to put in that. It’s probably groundless speculation based solely on the fact that KAT is from that area in which case I’d say it’s just as likely he ends up with the Nets. But when I look more closely at possible destinations this summer, the Knicks strike me as the most realistic trading partner for KAT for three reasons. First, the Knicks came close enough this season to reasonably believe they only need to add one more all-star to pair with Brunson to catapult them into contention and that now is the time to do that. Second, they can probably acquire KAT without gutting their current core. Finally, they have assets that would make sense for the Wolves.

Knicks players that could make sense for the Wolves include:

Quickley,
Grimes,
Barrett,
Mitchell,
Hart, and
Hartenstein

Meanwhile, the Knicks can trade any of their own future first-round picks in years 2025 through 2029. They have incoming first round picks, but I wouldn’t be interested in the first-round picks from Detroit or Washington because they’re too heavily protected and will likely end up converting to second round picks. The 1st-round pick from Dallas is intriguing because it’s only protected 1-10. On the other hand, I can see Dallas having a top 10 pick the next few years. The future NY picks I’m interested in for the Wolves are:

Knicks own 2005, 2007 picks (unprotected) and 2029 1st-round pick (maybe top 4 protected)
Milwaukee’s 2025 1st-round pick, which is only be top 4 protected.
Utah’s 2024 2nd-round pick, which will likely be pretty high in the second round
Detroit’s 2024 2nd-round pick, which will probably be very high in the second round
Detroit’s 2025 2nd-round picks, will should still be pretty high in the second round

Among the players, I’d insist on getting Quickley as part of any return package. Among the picks, my favorite is Milwaukee’s 2005 first because I see the Bucks as an aging team that is likely to decline in the next two years and they’re one major injury to Giannis from being a high lottery team. So I’d insist on that pick along with some other picks as part of any return package for KAT. I’d also insist on at least two of the Knicks’ own first-round picks and Detroit’s 2024 second round pick, which will likely be in the 31-35 range.

I don’t have a particular trade suggestion, but I would expect any deal with the Knicks to be built around the assets I’ve singled out as priority targets in exchange for KAT. The broad outline of a deal would include Quickley and other players along with Milwaukee’s 2005 1st, NY’s 2005 1st, NY’s 2007 1st and Detroit’s 2004 2nd. NY would still have their own 1st round picks in 2024, 2026, 2028 and 2029 along with incoming second round picks from Miami, Detroit, and Brooklyn. They’d also have potential incoming first rounders from Dallas, Detroit and Washington in 2024. So the Knicks could make the deal without emptying their draft coffers to the degree the Wolves did in the Gobert deal.

I still think the Wolves could make a lesser trade with the Knicks involving Rudy instead of KAT. I just have a gut feeling that Thibs would love to have a veteran defensive big like Gobert to win sooner rather than later with Brunson, Barrett and others on their current roster. But the return for the Wolves would obviously be far less than what we could get for KAT.

If I were in TC’s shoes, any trade conversations regarding KAT would start with the Brooklyn Nets and would be focused on Mikal Bridges.

I just want to say it’s easier to trade Kat this year than next. If they trade him next offseason wolves would need to find 20 extra million in salary coming back. So Kat on court value could go up but making the financial work of a trade become a lot harder next year.

I’m not advocating for Kat trade for or against. Just wanted to say that

Good point, kek. KAT’s salary number for a trade this summer would be his 2023-24 salary, which is $14 million less than it will be next summer. So the Wolves would need to take back about $11 million more next summer compared to this summer. Your point is still a really good one, but the magnitude isn’t quite as bad as you thought. I still think the upside value to the Wolves of allowing KAT to rehabilitate his value with a largely injury-free season outweighs the downside of having to take back another $11 million in salary. There’s always a way to find salary matches - which is largely a quantity issue. The key is to maximize the quality of assets you get in return. A season from KAT like his 2021-22 season would significantly increase the quality of the return he’d bring in a deal next season. Nevertheless, you point is well taken and should be a factor for consideration.

[Monster]

Just out of curiosity would you do Kat and Prince for Hayward and Lamelo.

Hayward and Prince are there for matching purposes. Hornets might consider because Scoot and Kat make more sense then Lamelo and Scoot. And Lamelo long term future with the hornets (might have similar issues with the wolves)

Not saying I would do it was just curious

Even with the knowledge that signing Ball might have its obstacles, gotta do it. You have your PG set, even on a max deal for him, it's cheaper than the super max and you're a Josh Minott developmental arc away from not having to worry about your starting lineup at all going forward.

Gobert /either a re-signed Naz or Connelly is gonna have to unearth a solid low cost signing
Anderson /Minott
McDaniels /Hayward
Edwards /NAW
Ball /Conley

The problem with trading for Ball is my concern with him staying healthy. If you remove that…yeah that would be a nice player to get back for Towns. I mean either way he would be obviously but…yeah.

[KG4Ever]

Just out of curiosity would you do Kat and Prince for Hayward and Lamelo.

Hayward and Prince are there for matching purposes. Hornets might consider because Scoot and Kat make more sense then Lamelo and Scoot. And Lamelo long term future with the hornets (might have similar issues with the wolves)

Not saying I would do it was just curious

Even with the knowledge that signing Ball might have its obstacles, gotta do it. You have your PG set, even on a max deal for him, it's cheaper than the super max and you're a Josh Minott developmental arc away from not having to worry about your starting lineup at all going forward.

Gobert /either a re-signed Naz or Connelly is gonna have to unearth a solid low cost signing
Anderson /Minott
McDaniels /Hayward
Edwards /NAW
Ball /Conley

The problem with trading for Ball is my concern with him staying healthy. If you remove that…yeah that would be a nice player to get back for Towns. I mean either way he would be obviously but…yeah.

Do you realize that KAT played in fewer games than LaMelo each of the past three seasons? I'm more worred about KAT's injury history given that he had to endure Thibs rigourous pounding, he's older and Charlotte had more reason to not play LaMelo given they tanked the last three years.

[Lipoli390]

Even with the knowledge that signing Ball might have its obstacles, gotta do it. You have your PG set, even on a max deal for him, it's cheaper than the super max and you're a Josh Minott developmental arc away from not having to worry about your starting lineup at all going forward.

Gobert /either a re-signed Naz or Connelly is gonna have to unearth a solid low cost signing
Anderson /Minott
McDaniels /Hayward
Edwards /NAW
Ball /Conley

The problem with trading for Ball is my concern with him staying healthy. If you remove that…yeah that would be a nice player to get back for Towns. I mean either way he would be obviously but…yeah.

Do you realize that KAT played in fewer games than LaMelo each of the past three seasons? I'm more worred about KAT's injury history given that he had to endure Thibs rigourous pounding, he's older and Charlotte had more reason to not play LaMelo given they tanked the last three years.

Both KAT and LaMelo Ball have injury risk yellow flags associated with them. My concern with trading KAT for Ball is what LaMello would stay here. Would LaMello be content to potentially be in Ant’s shadow. Ant is an equal or greater talent with a much stronger more charismatic personality. That might not sit will with LaMello. I’d be tempted to swap KAT for Ball, but I’d first want to be sure that LaMello would likely re-sign and stay here long term. It would hard to know definitively, so TC would have to do a lot of due diligence before pulling the trigger.

[Monster]

The problem with trading for Ball is my concern with him staying healthy. If you remove that…yeah that would be a nice player to get back for Towns. I mean either way he would be obviously but…yeah.

Do you realize that KAT played in fewer games than LaMelo each of the past three seasons? I'm more worred about KAT's injury history given that he had to endure Thibs rigourous pounding, he's older and Charlotte had more reason to not play LaMelo given they tanked the last three years.

Both KAT and LaMelo Ball have injury risk yellow flags associated with them. My concern with trading KAT for Ball is what LaMello would stay here. Would LaMello be content to potentially be in Ant’s shadow. Ant is an equal or greater talent with a much stronger more charismatic personality. That might not sit will with LaMello. I’d be tempted to swap KAT for Ball, but I’d first want to be sure that LaMello would likely re-sign and stay here long term. It would hard to know definitively, so TC would have to do a lot of due diligence before pulling the trigger.

To clarify my issue isn’t trading Towns who is an injury risk for another injury risk in Ball it’s that if I’m trading Towns I’d prefer to trade for someone who at this point isn’t an injury risk. If we can get Ball there is likely some other good offers available too. I’d be inclined to go that route. Of course we could be trading for Towns type player who just a few years ago was basically a guy that never missed games and now…

Let’s be honest here and this is coming from someone who values Towns as a player and person quite a bit…one reason to trade Towns at this point is concerns about him staying healthy. He is likely too good of a shooter at his size to not be pretty effective as an offensive player to some degree but he might turn into something of a better shooting Kevin Love of the last few years who is/would be a nice player but pretty far from a top 3 guy on a championship team.

I’m absolutely convinced that even with injuries and sort of a down year of the Wolves decided to move Towns the offers would be significant especially if the market of the last few months where Gobert, Mitchell and Durant brought back a boatload of assets is still apparent. Heck a few weeks of Kyrie brought back a nice return for the Nets. It’s possible that a season from now that teams don’t want to give up all that for Towns. Maybe he gets hurt again. I don’t think Towns will need to rehab his value. I could be wrong but I don’t think so. Giving up a ton for guys has been in the works for a while now but if I got offers I liked for Towns and was at all willing to deal him I would pull the trigger.

I still think the toughest question is whether Towns is still absolutely loyal to the Wolves. If he is I’m not saying you can’t deal him but man that’s a tough call. Sure he isn’t a guy like KG that did so much for the franchise or whatever. However let’s be honest again Towns could have easily asked out years ago and I wouldn’t have blamed him too much. Anyone still all that mad that Kevin Love wanted out? I’m not. Love was right and the Wolves got a lot for him and if they had managed the assets in return better (and if Flip hadn’t died) they may have been set up pretty well from that trade. Still we don’t HAVE to keep Towns just cause he is a great guy to some extent and loyal he doesn’t need some medal for it but still it feels like it should still bring a franchise pause when a player stays loyal. People (fans in general) complain all the time about players doing whatever they want and then sometimes being willing to deal a guy if it benefits what they see for the team. I don’t really want to see Towns moved for various reasons but I’m also basically fine if it happens partly because again I think the return would be pretty significant.

[Wolvesfan21]

There is no guarantee KAT stays healthy nor plays really well in the playoffs. Both of which would be needed to up his value, then why would we trade him then? You'd just keep him if he is healthy and plays well in big games. So really any trade you'd be taking less next year then this year if you want to trade him.

His salary is lower, he is younger and it gives the team who acquires him another year to "fix" KAT. If you want to maximize his trade value I think this offseason does it. You could wait till the trade deadline but mega trades like this don't usually happen during the season and end up being beneficial. The new player coming in on both sides will have to adjust to a new team and new players on the fly.

[KiwiMatt]

The more I think about it, the more I lean towards trading KAT this off season. Even if when his super max extension kicks in it doesn’t effect his trade value it will still seriously effect our cap space and ability this resign Ant and Jaden. Gobert’s contract and currently declined trade value means we are probably best to stick with him. At least he gives us an elite defensive presence and rebounder.

If Portland offered this years 3rd pick (that will likely be Scoot) and Anfernee Simons for KAT I would personally pack his bags and drop him off at the airport.

Imagine:

Henderson / Conley
Edwards / Simons
McDaniels / NAW
Anderson / Prince
Gobert / Reid