Is it time to move on from KAT?

[kekgeek]

Kat out tomorrow with knee soreness

[FNG]

Kat out tomorrow with knee soreness

Sounds like they are giving KAT a rest after 5 days in 7 nights. The line swung 3 points after the news came out...Indy is now favored by 1 1/2. I think I would have rested him Friday against Cleveland instead,

[WildWolf2813]

if y'all wanna move him, fine, but they won't be able to trade him AND improve because nobody on this roster has proven they can step up for him when he's having an off-night.

[WildWolf2813]

I've thoroughly enjoyed watching the Wolves this season, not solely based on the results, but mainly the culture TC, Finch and Co are building.

However, to me, there is something that is starting to stand out more and more. And that is the questionable fit of KAT with this current roster and moving forward.

Yes he is a vital cog offensively, especially with his ability to stretch the floor and drive to the hoop. He has also made strides defensively, especially considering he has been asked to defend the 4 quite often. But I question if it's all worth 50 mil of cap space next season. Then 53, 57 and 61 million of cap space the following years.

The other thing is this franchise has a history of 'selling low' and 'buying high'. There is no better time to potentially trade KAT then this off season. He's is coming off an All Star season, being a significant contributor to a high seed team, shooting 45% from 3 and has made improvements defensively.

We should be able to trade him for a combination of a starting caliber player, high upside players and multiple decent draft picks whilst also clearing cap space.

Thoughts?

Counter: his value hasn't improved for the same reasons you want to move him on top of the fact that it's less about his game and more about him.

His theoretical value remains the same to me: a trade to Brooklyn for Finney-Smith, Ben Simmons, a first rounder and maybe a couple of 2nds.

[Coolbreeze44]

I've seen KAT be the most mature settling and distributing player on the team during stretches this year. We've also seen some stray voltage.

I'm not sure that folks who say his complaining hasn't decreased dramatically this year are watching the games, and I'd even go so far as to say he gets more than his share of crappy calls based on his reputation that he completely walks away from when perhaps he shouldn't.

All that being said, KAT has a unique skillset as a big that can score from 3, in the mid-range, driving, and (I wish we'd see more of it) very easily and efficiently with his back to the basket.


Even if his friend hadn't died a week ago and we were seeing this slump I wouldn't trade the guy.

I don't think we ARE watching the same games. I see a guy who reacts negatively to calls on both ends of the floor from tip till end. Maybe he doesn't draw technicals, but his body language is on display for the entire 48 minutes. And it HAS to affect his game because he spends so much time focusing on things other than his job. Like I said earlier, he's lucky he doesn't get called for offensive fouls more often. Jim Pete has said this multiple times during games this year.

[Carlos Danger]

I've seen KAT be the most mature settling and distributing player on the team during stretches this year. We've also seen some stray voltage.

I'm not sure that folks who say his complaining hasn't decreased dramatically this year are watching the games, and I'd even go so far as to say he gets more than his share of crappy calls based on his reputation that he completely walks away from when perhaps he shouldn't.

All that being said, KAT has a unique skillset as a big that can score from 3, in the mid-range, driving, and (I wish we'd see more of it) very easily and efficiently with his back to the basket.


Even if his friend hadn't died a week ago and we were seeing this slump I wouldn't trade the guy.

I don't think we ARE watching the same games. I see a guy who reacts negatively to calls on both ends of the floor from tip till end. Maybe he doesn't draw technicals, but his body language is on display for the entire 48 minutes. And it HAS to affect his game because he spends so much time focusing on things other than his job. Like I said earlier, he's lucky he doesn't get called for offensive fouls more often. Jim Pete has said this multiple times during games this year.

I haven't watched a ton of games. But I see plenty of clips and replays and KAT seems the same to me too. Hands up in the air and making a cry face to the ref instead of immediately getting back on defense. Maybe he has gotten slightly better this year - IDK. I'm not sure how to actually measure that. But his annoying mannerisms are baked into many of our brains at this point. I think many of us just (reluctantly) accept it as one of his flaws. Fortunately, he has many strengths. And to be fair...a lot of players cry to the refs. It is what it is.

[60WinTim]

Guess we are going to find out what it's like to move on from KAT...

Finch has always gone to SloMo when KAT is missing, but I wouldn't mind seeing what Naz looks like in the starting lineup.

[Phenom]

KATs last game as Wolf? Probably not. The beginning of the end? Maybe.

Time to see if a trio of Ant, Jaden and Naz can be good enough on offense. I hope to see double digit scoring every game for Jaden and Naz.

[FNG]

KATs last game as Wolf? Probably not. The beginning of the end? Maybe.

Time to see if a trio of Ant, Jaden and Naz can be good enough on offense. I hope to see double digit scoring every game for Jaden and Naz.

Yeah, it's a good chance for management to see what the future could look like (although I'm still not in favor of moving KAT...gotta be convinced). I'm also interested in seeing what substituting either Naz or SloMo does to the starting five on defense. I suspect we might be even better defensively with SloMo replacing KAT, but much worse offensively. Conversely I think Naz makes us worse defensively, and a little worse offensively. It will be interesting to see what Finchie does.

[Carlos Danger]

We saw a little bit of what it was like without KAT last season. Last year, we played the first 21 games with KAT and were 10-11 (1 game under .500). Then he was hurt for the next 52 games and we went 26-26 (.500). In other words, there really wasn't a difference.

Now that was a 52 game sample and included variables such as DLO still being the PG for a lot of that. Still, it was interesting to me.

Obviously I'd rather have KAT than not have him. But I'm very curious to see how this plays out too.