KiwiMatt wrote: ↑Fri May 19, 2023 5:58 pm
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
Not sure about the shooting with that first team lineup. I know SloMo shot the ball from 3 well this past season, but he doesn't really scare other teams and most of those makes were wide open. The spacing with that lineup would not be good.
I'm open to KAT trades, but it comes with tradeoffs!
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 whether 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.
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.
Well said, Monster. I agree with your analysis and share your opinion about Towns. A deal for Scoot and Simons would be tempting though.
Would Jabari Smith, #4 and 2027 1st round pick interests you? Harden is rumored to be heading back to houston. They should want to win now if they are taking back harden. I am still on the keeping towns side but It is interesting to see these different possibilities. Smith didn't have the rookie season most thought but I thought he was solid and would be nice young building block who fits in with Ant. As far as the 4th pick, we can draft our future pg here with either Amen Thompson or Anthony Black. I have not seen enough of Thompson or Black but the scouting reports have them both with very high ceilings.(Most draft scouting reports are skewed this way so I dont give much stock to them.)
worldK wrote: ↑Fri May 19, 2023 8:44 pm
Would Jabari Smith, #4 and 2027 1st round pick interests you? Harden is rumored to be heading back to houston. They should want to win now if they are taking back harden. I am still on the keeping towns side but It is interesting to see these different possibilities. Smith didn't have the rookie season most thought but I thought he was solid and would be nice young building block who fits in with Ant. As far as the 4th pick, we can draft our future pg here with either Amen Thompson or Anthony Black. I have not seen enough of Thompson or Black but the scouting reports have them both with very high ceilings.(Most draft scouting reports are skewed this way so I dont give much stock to them.)
If Houston was in a place to actually want Towns they have a lot of stuff to trade. I’d be interested.
worldK wrote: ↑Fri May 19, 2023 8:44 pm
Would Jabari Smith, #4 and 2027 1st round pick interests you? Harden is rumored to be heading back to houston. They should want to win now if they are taking back harden. I am still on the keeping towns side but It is interesting to see these different possibilities. Smith didn't have the rookie season most thought but I thought he was solid and would be nice young building block who fits in with Ant. As far as the 4th pick, we can draft our future pg here with either Amen Thompson or Anthony Black. I have not seen enough of Thompson or Black but the scouting reports have them both with very high ceilings.(Most draft scouting reports are skewed this way so I dont give much stock to them.)
I would in a heartbeat and ask for Tari Eason or TyTy too just for kicks as in this scenario the Wolves have the leverage, but I think the Harden back to Houston idea is more about him mentoring all their young talent rather than gunning for contending.
It'd be hilarious to see them remove themselves from the Harden idea, stockpile young talent, and create the most cap in the league to then decide to try it again with an older Harden, trade away young talent, and use that cap quickly to try to surround Harden again.
Theoretically, a healthy Harden and KAT would be a nightmare to defend in the PnR/PnP.
Last edited by TheFuture on Sat May 20, 2023 8:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
I have a hard time believing the Rockets will sign Harden. He makes no sense for them as an early-stage rebuilding team. He’s not even close to being on the same career trajectory as the Rockets’ young core and he’s one of the worst choice I can think of to add veteran leadership or mentorship to Houston’s young guys. Maybe Harden wants to go back to Houston, in which case his agent might be fueling the rumor mill to create some sort of momentum behind the idea. But I don’t see it happening. If the Rockets don’t sign Harden, then it make no sense for them to acquire KAT.
So I’d cross Houston off the list of potential teams for a realistic KAT deal. I could see the Blazers having an interest in KAT. Adding KAT as Lillard’s #2 makes a lot of sense for the Blazers who appear to favor trying one last time to win now with Lillard rather than starting over with a rebuild. However, I think it’s far more likely that the Blazers deal the #3 pick for Siakam if for no other reason than the fact Toronto can offer Portland their #13 pick in the deal. The current situation underscores why you don’t trade future 1st round picks unless they’re part of a package for a true star. If not for the Gobert trade, the Wolves would have the #16 pick, which would be valuable currency to help make a meaningful deal this summer.
If the Wolves trade KAT this summer, which I consider highly unlikely, I suspect he’ll end up with the Knicks, Nets or Wizards. Those are the three teams outside of Portland that are likely in a win-now mode with a time-limited window.
The Knicks surprised a lot of people by making the playoffs and looking like a team that could have advanced. They have only one all-star on the team, Brunson, who will turn 27 before next season. I suspect that the Knicks’ success last season and knowing that Brunson is at his peak will motivate the Knicks to look for a deal that brings them another all-star - preferably one who complements Brunson. KAT seems like a great fit for what the Knicks are likely looking for.
The Nets are probably the least likely of these three to have an interest in trading for KAT unless they can get him without giving up Bridges. I think they’d jump at the chance to acquire KAT without giving up Bridges, but I don’t see how trading KAT to the Nets without getting Bridges improves the Wolves. Better to explore trading Rudy to the Nets - maybe for Simmons.
The Wizards’ situation is similar to the Blazers. Like the Blazers, the Wizards have a 30-year old star who want to stay but who needs a complementary all-star teammate to have a chance of getting into the playoffs and competing. So I could easily see the Wizards having a strong interest in KAT. I haven’t looked to see if there are any realistic trade scenarios that would make sense for the Wolves. But they’re a team to watch in the KAT sweepstakes - if indeed there even is a KAT sweepstakes.
Lipoli390 wrote: ↑Sat May 20, 2023 8:52 am
I have a hard time believing the Rockets will sign Harden. He makes no sense for them as an early-stage rebuilding team. He’s not even close to being on the same career trajectory as the Rockets’ young core and he’s one of the worst choice I can think of to add veteran leadership or mentorship to Houston’s young guys. Maybe Harden wants to go back to Houston, in which case his agent might be fueling the rumor mill to create some sort of momentum behind the idea. But I don’t see it happening. If the Rockets don’t sign Harden, then it make no sense for them to acquire KAT.
So I’d cross Houston off the list of potential teams for a realistic KAT deal. I could see the Blazers having an interest in KAT. Adding KAT as Lillard’s #2 makes a lot of sense for the Blazers who appear to favor trying one last time to win now with Lillard rather than starting over with a rebuild. However, I think it’s far more likely that the Blazers deal the #3 pick for Siakam if for no other reason than the fact Toronto can offer Portland their #13 pick in the deal. The current situation underscores why you don’t trade future 1st round picks unless they’re part of a package for a true star. If not for the Gobert trade, the Wolves would have the #16 pick, which would be valuable currency to help make a meaningful deal this summer.
If the Wolves trade KAT this summer, which I consider highly unlikely, I suspect he’ll end up with the Knicks, Nets or Wizards. Those are the three teams outside of Portland that are likely in a win-now mode with a time-limited window.
The Knicks surprised a lot of people by making the playoffs and looking like a team that could have advanced. They have only one all-star on the team, Brunson, who will turn 27 before next season. I suspect that the Knicks’ success last season and knowing that Brunson is at his peak will motivate the Knicks to look for a deal that brings them another all-star - preferably one who complements Brunson. KAT seems like a great fit for what the Knicks are likely looking for.
The Nets are probably the least likely of these three to have an interest in trading for KAT unless they can get him without giving up Bridges. I think they’d jump at the chance to acquire KAT without giving up Bridges, but I don’t see how trading KAT to the Nets without getting Bridges improves the Wolves. Better to explore trading Rudy to the Nets - maybe for Simmons.
The Wizards’ situation is similar to the Blazers. Like the Blazers, the Wizards have a 30-year old star who want to stay but who needs a complementary all-star teammate to have a chance of getting into the playoffs and competing. So I could easily see the Wizards having a strong interest in KAT. I haven’t looked to see if there are any realistic trade scenarios that would make sense for the Wolves. But they’re a team to watch in the KAT sweepstakes - if indeed there even is a KAT sweepstakes.
One major difference with Siakim is he is 29 with 1 year left and could leave for nothing. KAT is 27 and locked in for 5.
”Multiple sources have confirmed Portland has interest in Deandre Ayton & could be willing to discuss a deal centered around the 3rd overall pick and additional pieces. Scoot Henderson & Brandon Miller are both considered to be foundational players in this upcoming NBA Draft.”
My thought: If Portland is willing to trade the #3 pick for Ayton, the Wolves should be able to get a huge haul from Portland for KAT. Part of my hesitation though it that I’m not confident Scoot will be a good much less all-star NBA player. He didn’t exactly dominate the G-League to say the least. His 16.5 points were good, but not overly impressive. His 5.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists in nearly 31 minutes are solid, but not spectacular. He only shot 43% from the field and a terrible 27.5% from behind the arc. He only got to the line 2.9 times and hit 76% of his free throws. He looks really good on video, but there are no objective stats that suggest he’ll become an NBA all-star or every get to KAT’s level.
Lipoli390 wrote: ↑Sat May 20, 2023 8:52 am
I have a hard time believing the Rockets will sign Harden. He makes no sense for them as an early-stage rebuilding team. He’s not even close to being on the same career trajectory as the Rockets’ young core and he’s one of the worst choice I can think of to add veteran leadership or mentorship to Houston’s young guys. Maybe Harden wants to go back to Houston, in which case his agent might be fueling the rumor mill to create some sort of momentum behind the idea. But I don’t see it happening. If the Rockets don’t sign Harden, then it make no sense for them to acquire KAT.
So I’d cross Houston off the list of potential teams for a realistic KAT deal. I could see the Blazers having an interest in KAT. Adding KAT as Lillard’s #2 makes a lot of sense for the Blazers who appear to favor trying one last time to win now with Lillard rather than starting over with a rebuild. However, I think it’s far more likely that the Blazers deal the #3 pick for Siakam if for no other reason than the fact Toronto can offer Portland their #13 pick in the deal. The current situation underscores why you don’t trade future 1st round picks unless they’re part of a package for a true star. If not for the Gobert trade, the Wolves would have the #16 pick, which would be valuable currency to help make a meaningful deal this summer.
If the Wolves trade KAT this summer, which I consider highly unlikely, I suspect he’ll end up with the Knicks, Nets or Wizards. Those are the three teams outside of Portland that are likely in a win-now mode with a time-limited window.
The Knicks surprised a lot of people by making the playoffs and looking like a team that could have advanced. They have only one all-star on the team, Brunson, who will turn 27 before next season. I suspect that the Knicks’ success last season and knowing that Brunson is at his peak will motivate the Knicks to look for a deal that brings them another all-star - preferably one who complements Brunson. KAT seems like a great fit for what the Knicks are likely looking for.
The Nets are probably the least likely of these three to have an interest in trading for KAT unless they can get him without giving up Bridges. I think they’d jump at the chance to acquire KAT without giving up Bridges, but I don’t see how trading KAT to the Nets without getting Bridges improves the Wolves. Better to explore trading Rudy to the Nets - maybe for Simmons.
The Wizards’ situation is similar to the Blazers. Like the Blazers, the Wizards have a 30-year old star who want to stay but who needs a complementary all-star teammate to have a chance of getting into the playoffs and competing. So I could easily see the Wizards having a strong interest in KAT. I haven’t looked to see if there are any realistic trade scenarios that would make sense for the Wolves. But they’re a team to watch in the KAT sweepstakes - if indeed there even is a KAT sweepstakes.
One major difference with Siakim is he is 29 with 1 year left and could leave for nothing. KAT is 27 and locked in for 5.
Lip I agree with you I think Houston shouldn’t be interested in Harden. I haven’t cared enough to read more than basically the headlines about it. I mean if they just get him and roll with they young guys sure I guess but yeah.
Meanwhile the Knicks don’t have some sort of aging roster. They have 2 guys on it 30 or over and Rose will probably not come back. They have a slew of guys under 25. It’s possible they can just stay the course they have some of their own young talent they can continue to develop. Sure the clock is ticking with Brunson but if they believe in the talent they have they might be best off waiting for a guy or 2 to improve and see where they are at or deal them for even more value.
