Towns

[Q-is-here]

I'm going to go in a different direction with the Naz/Garza discussion. I think they are both limited defensively, but for different reasons. Naz has some quickness and can guard the perimeter when he isn't lost on defense (not very often), but doesn't have the strength to compete with physical centers...he's a disaster against Jokic. On the other hand, Garza has no footspeed and he's always going to struggle defending the perimeter, but he showed me against Denver that he has the physical strength to keep a guy like Joker away from the rim. Finchie raved about Garza's defense in his post-game presser. Neither of these guys is ever going to be considered a defensive stopper, but I think Garza will be (and even is now) the better defender. When it comes to 1-4, I'll take speed over strength. But I'll take strength over speed with my center.

But there is no reason that Naz can't improve his strength whereas I am 95% positive that Garza can't improve his footspeed. Naz has a very solid frame on him that should allow him to pack on a bit more muscle. And I know he's spent the last three years slimming down, but eventually he's going to naturally add that old man strength that KAT added over the last few years and it's made him more sturdy in the paint.

And in today's NBA, your Center is probably spending nearly 50% of his time either hedging out on or switching onto perimeter players. The fact you can hold up well in isolation against a 5 isn't enough anymore.

[Q-is-here]

If money were not an issue, keeping both KAT and Naz makes sense. But if money IS an issue, KAT is clearly the one to go. The problem is who can possibly take on his contract? And considering you have to take back a fair amount of money in any trade, you really are not saving a ton for next year!

However, if KAT is traded before next year's contract numbers take affect in July, only 36 mil of his outgoing salary needs to be matched instead of next year's 49 mil. Which means we are talking about a trade somewhere in or around the draft.

I doubt this will excite anyone, but Brooklyn is the one team I can find that might be able to handle KAT's contract AND has a pretty clear positional need for someone like KAT - the fit makes a lot of sense. KAT for Ben Simmons and whatever else is needed to make everyone happy would get it done. Obviously, the Wolves would be looking for draft capital. They would still be a luxury tax team next season, but far less so than they would be with KAT. And then the next season could once again be under the luxury tax as Simmon's contract comes off the books.

Don't shoot the messenger! I have looked high and low for possible KAT landing spots that might make sense for both the Wolves and the trade partner. Nowhere else really makes much sense (unless Philly thought a KAT-Embiid pairing would work. I don't.).

I agree with you 100%. The Simmons things has been batted around on here before. It was only a couple years ago and many would have been happy to give a Rudy like trade to get him. Obviously those days are gone and he should be considered nothing more than salary facilitation. But yeah, if they could get ANYTHING out of him it would certainly add considerable value. But certainly we'd go into the trade assuming he adds nothing.

Yes, in this case Simmons would be used purely for salary-matching purposes whereas his name was bandied about in years' past because some folks thought he could actually add value on the court. That appears to no longer be the case between all his mental and physical issues.

In terms of the "whatever else" in addition to Simmons, that's where things become problematic. Like the Wolves, Brooklyn has traded a way a bunch of their first rounders! I don't think they even have a pick in 2024.

As Tim said, he's searched far and wide for potential KAT landing spots, but even if there is an interested counter-party, we have to be satisfied with the return. Is salary relief plus some distant 1st rounder or two enough?? Not for me. I'd like a combination of salary relief and a rotation-level player (for example, an elite bench shooter).

This is why Naz and/or Jaden are probably the more moveable pieces. I like our team and may be they run most of the core back next year, but we aren't the owners!

[DNatagal]

Any chance Golden State is ready to make a huge splash again? They always seem willing to make trades and they are not getting any younger over there.

[Wolvesfan21]

The team is in a win now mode so for me a hypothetical Simmons trade doesn't make any sense. I'd need a decent to good starting player coming back and a 1st or 2 (depends on player and contract). Now if the owners are in a we can't go on with this teams salary then it might be on the table. But it would be a horrible trade. KAT still is an All Star level player. His value has got to be way way higher then Simmons and a couple picks.

I'll admit I was intrigued by the Simmons idea before, years ago. But I also said it was risky. At this point you can't expect anything from him. So I am a hard pass.

If you do entertain a trade idea Wolves, please bring back a player.

But of course my preference right now is to keep KAT and the team mostly intact. But it also depends on how he and the team comes back and plays in the playoffs. Lots of games left.

[Coolbreeze44]

Simmons is pretty much done, no value on the court remains. I floated the idea of a KAT for Dejounte Murray trade earlier, is there any reason that couldn't work?

NAZ is improving too much for me to think about moving him. I don't have the numbers, but it sure seems like he has been rebounding much better lately. I don't see any reason to trade Reid even though he would fetch a decent return. We signed him, developed him, and now need to enjoy the fruits of that for a while.

[Carlos Danger]

A good read regarding the new line up with Naz starting for Towns:

https://dunkingwithwolves.com/posts/lat ... ve-results

[rapsuperstar31]

If money were not an issue, keeping both KAT and Naz makes sense. But if money IS an issue, KAT is clearly the one to go. The problem is who can possibly take on his contract? And considering you have to take back a fair amount of money in any trade, you really are not saving a ton for next year!

However, if KAT is traded before next year's contract numbers take affect in July, only 36 mil of his outgoing salary needs to be matched instead of next year's 49 mil. Which means we are talking about a trade somewhere in or around the draft.

I doubt this will excite anyone, but Brooklyn is the one team I can find that might be able to handle KAT's contract AND has a pretty clear positional need for someone like KAT - the fit makes a lot of sense. KAT for Ben Simmons and whatever else is needed to make everyone happy would get it done. Obviously, the Wolves would be looking for draft capital. They would still be a luxury tax team next season, but far less so than they would be with KAT. And then the next season could once again be under the luxury tax as Simmon's contract comes off the books.

Don't shoot the messenger! I have looked high and low for possible KAT landing spots that might make sense for both the Wolves and the trade partner. Nowhere else really makes much sense (unless Philly thought a KAT-Embiid pairing would work. I don't.).

I agree with you 100%. The Simmons things has been batted around on here before. It was only a couple years ago and many would have been happy to give a Rudy like trade to get him. Obviously those days are gone and he should be considered nothing more than salary facilitation. But yeah, if they could get ANYTHING out of him it would certainly add considerable value. But certainly we'd go into the trade assuming he adds nothing.

Yes, in this case Simmons would be used purely for salary-matching purposes whereas his name was bandied about in years' past because some folks thought he could actually add value on the court. That appears to no longer be the case between all his mental and physical issues.

In terms of the "whatever else" in addition to Simmons, that's where things become problematic. Like the Wolves, Brooklyn has traded a way a bunch of their first rounders! I don't think they even have a pick in 2024.

As Tim said, he's searched far and wide for potential KAT landing spots, but even if there is an interested counter-party, we have to be satisfied with the return. Is salary relief plus some distant 1st rounder or two enough?? Not for me. I'd like a combination of salary relief and a rotation-level player (for example, an elite bench shooter).

This is why Naz and/or Jaden are probably the more moveable pieces. I like our team and may be they run most of the core back next year, but we aren't the owners!

A while back I saw a Vegas odds that said if the Nets bit the bullet and bought out Simmons contract this summer, the Wolves would be the most likely landing spot for him.

[kekgeek]

I agree with you 100%. The Simmons things has been batted around on here before. It was only a couple years ago and many would have been happy to give a Rudy like trade to get him. Obviously those days are gone and he should be considered nothing more than salary facilitation. But yeah, if they could get ANYTHING out of him it would certainly add considerable value. But certainly we'd go into the trade assuming he adds nothing.

Yes, in this case Simmons would be used purely for salary-matching purposes whereas his name was bandied about in years' past because some folks thought he could actually add value on the court. That appears to no longer be the case between all his mental and physical issues.

In terms of the "whatever else" in addition to Simmons, that's where things become problematic. Like the Wolves, Brooklyn has traded a way a bunch of their first rounders! I don't think they even have a pick in 2024.

As Tim said, he's searched far and wide for potential KAT landing spots, but even if there is an interested counter-party, we have to be satisfied with the return. Is salary relief plus some distant 1st rounder or two enough?? Not for me. I'd like a combination of salary relief and a rotation-level player (for example, an elite bench shooter).

This is why Naz and/or Jaden are probably the more moveable pieces. I like our team and may be they run most of the core back next year, but we aren't the owners!

A while back I saw a Vegas odds that said if the Nets bit the bullet and bought out Simmons contract this summer, the Wolves would be the most likely landing spot for him.

That would not surprise me one bit. With the wolves more than likely losing Slow Mo this offseason Simmons feels like a good addition to take a flyer on for the min of bought out

[Carlos Danger]

This is the first update I've seen on Towns which claims he's ahead of schedule. We shall see. He certainly would make this (very good team) that much deeper. My gut still says he's not around for first round but who knows. Here's the link:

https://clutchpoints.com/timberwolves-n ... yoffs-dawn

[60WinTim]

This is the first update I've seen on Towns which claims he's ahead of schedule. We shall see. He certainly would make this (very good team) that much deeper. My gut still says he's not around for first round but who knows. Here's the link:

https://clutchpoints.com/timberwolves-n ... yoffs-dawn

Who?