I think the optimal time to trade KAT was exactly two years ago, immediately after a season in which he was clearly the best player on a 46-win team, just entering the prime years for a typical NBA player, and still several years before entering super-max territory. That was also the first season he actually showed he can play some defense. I still think his value is much higher than Julius Randle and a mid-20s draft pick.Coolbreeze44 wrote: ↑Thu Jun 20, 2024 11:16 amCD(eez nutz), There was a time about 3 years ago where we began to realize KAT couldn't be the #1 on a championship team. It was at this time his value was at its zenith, and we could have gotten a shit ton of assets for him. I clamored at the time to move both he and DLO, thinking we could strike while the iron was hot. I speculated he was about to become a declining asset. Don't get me wrong, he's still a very good player, but our chance to maximize his value has passed.Carlos Danger wrote: ↑Thu Jun 20, 2024 8:05 amCool - good post. I agree with most of it. But can you expand on why you feel the time to trade Towns has passed? That's the one thing I possibly disagree with. He just finished an All Star season. I could argue he's at peak value. While I personally don't think he's going to improve anymore, he's still under age 30 - so plenty of tread left on the tires.Coolbreeze44 wrote: ↑Wed Jun 19, 2024 10:45 pm The time to trade KAT has passed. NAZ is on an improvement arc and a good contract. And the Rudy window is still open.
I would certainly think he could be a missing piece for the right team. Some will read that and say - "yeah - like our team!" and I get that. He certainly added value to our team. But this is Anthony Edwards team now. And I've seen the Wolves play just as well (record wise) with Towns and without him the last two years. He is more of a luxury vs. difference maker for us since we acquired Rudy. If another team would be willing to give us a nice combo of players/picks that fit our needs, I trade Towns in a NY minute.
I think you kind of answered your own question in that as of today, he's a good fit for our team. But it hurts to have to pay him the $60 million he's owed. I would point to your last sentence, "If another team would be willing to give us a nice combo of players/picks that fit our needs". The way I would answer that is would you take Julius Randle and a draft pick in the mid 20's for him? I think that's his value today. So I come back to the same conclusion, we might as well keep him and hope he can help us win a title.
I’m on record preferring to keep all three bigs and take another shot with the current core next season. But I’m open to trading any of those three if the deal makes sense. For me it’s a two-part test. Trading any of those three has to (1) make us better next season, but (2) not hurt the team’s longer term horizon with Ant and Jaden. I think Rudy would probably net a nice net return. He’s a great defender coming off a career year and his contract will be up in two years before his 35th birthday. I could envision improving offensively by moving Rudy and still be really good defensively with Ant, Jaden and NAW, but that obviously depends on who we’d get in return. I think Naz would likely net a really nice return, but I wouldn’t trade him for a player who helps us win next season without also getting significant draft compensation or a high-upside young player for the longer term. With our draft coffers depleted, this isn’t the time to trade a young proven talent like Naz who still has more upside and fits well chronologically with Ant and Jaden. KAT was a big reason for our success this past season. And he actually performed well in the playoffs until the Dallas series. He’s still in the prime and there are probably some teams out there who would love to have him - the Knicks for example.
