Minnesota Sports Forum

Camden0916 wrote:

KG4Ever wrote:I would move DLO first if possible and see if we can get a legit third talent to partner with KAT and Ant. Next, we got to get a legit rim protector to pair with KAT.

I agree with your last sentence. They've needed to do that for the last three years and we still haven't seen it. What continues to boggle my mind is that Karl-Anthony Towns lost considerable weight/bulk/strength this off-season in an apparent effort to get quicker and more agile, presumably to play on the perimeter more -- perhaps more minutes at the four spot. But there's been literally no addition to the four or five depth besides Nathan Knight, who obviously isn't a rim protector. They didn't add a center, which means that it was obvious Towns would have to play most/all of his minutes there. Why didn't Towns' workout regiment this summer match the plans the front office and coaching staff had for him? What was the disconnect? Why is there disconnect between management and the team's presumed best player? That's all very weird to me.

Do you really need the answer? As Doper says the FO doesn't suck his dick like Woods does.

AbeVigodaLive wrote:Sure.

Kind of like the Wiggins trade... anything is better than the status quo.
The Wolves aren't winning with Towns. And he clearly is letting everybody know (by his actions and play) that he's unhappy. And he's going it in a very Townsian sort of way...

That being said. I don't think he's entirely wrong about some of this stuff. Ironically, the former team savior (who was part of a duo granted the world prematurely) is seemingly sulking over the new team savior being given the world prematurely. Edwards is insanely gifted. He's fun. And he has so much damn potential.

But there's a reason Sticky Fingers is gonna stick as a nickname. Don't think the young savior calling out the "team" for not passing and moving the ball didn't go unnoticed by Towns... the guy who was already seeing his shots drop in favor of the youngster.

It's probably time to move Towns for everybody involved. Re-re-re-re-Build around the young Edwards and a cast of tougher-minded complementary pieces.

But... please hold Edwards accountable for what he's NOT doing correctly before it's too late, e.g., he's too close to that max extension. We've seen how the story of rewarding players for playing losing basketball ends.

Agreed. We seem to do this all the time to ourselves. With KAT and Wiggins, there was no accountability for defense. Even "tough guy" Thibs wouldn't bench them (which was part of the Thibs paradox - notoriously a stickler for defense but also fell in love with high usage inefficient saboteurs of defense like Jamaal Crawford).

Now we're seeing it play out with Ant. I thought Finch was supposedly a guy that had the gravitas to hold his stars accountable, but it's obvious that whatever sway he had over this team was fleeting.

KG4Ever wrote:I would move DLO first if possible and see if we can get a legit third talent to partner with KAT and Ant. Next, we got to get a legit rim protector to pair with KAT.

Not sure how this is supposed to work. We unloaded Wiggins for DLO. Both were on bloated contracts that they underperformed. Now we think we can get a legit talent for DLO's contract? You as one of DLO's biggest critics don't believe that do you?

Unfortunately, KAT is the guy that needs to be moved and we probably just need to wait DLO out. He only has one more year on this contract after this one, so we can move on from him soon enough.

Q12543 wrote:

KG4Ever wrote:I would move DLO first if possible and see if we can get a legit third talent to partner with KAT and Ant. Next, we got to get a legit rim protector to pair with KAT.

Not sure how this is supposed to work. We unloaded Wiggins for DLO. Both were on bloated contracts that they underperformed. Now we think we can get a legit talent for DLO's contract? You as one of DLO's biggest critics don't believe that do you?

Unfortunately, KAT is the guy that needs to be moved and we probably just need to wait DLO out. He only has one more year on this contract after this one, so we can move on from him soon enough.

I didn't say DLO would get us that back in a trade as that would be very doubtful I said we needed a legit talent with that max salary spot. DLO is not the answer, but in fairness, he's not the sole reason the Wolves suck but the expectations for a max salary guy who cost the Wolves a high end draft pick in a deep draft is that he'd be a meaningful positive difference maker. That is certainly not the case and like KAT he's not a leader and his lazy defense can't be endearing to his teammates.

While I've been a longtime DLO critic, I'm in concurrence that I don't think we should send a first round pick to shed his contract. I believe the Wolves have traded away first round picks three times to get rid of contracts including Wiggins, Jaric and Wes Johnson and I was opposed to all these moves. This is not what a winning franchise does except when they have a high impact free agent waiting in the wings.

Sure, but the return for Towns will never satisfy you because he doesn't have the kind of value we think he has. The only player with a worse reputation than Towns is Ben Simmons and leave it to this team to wanna pair em together.

The problem is the idea of "trade KAT, build around Ant." 1. Ant might not be good enough for that, but that's a separate argument. The bigger issue is that it can't just be Ant. You have to build with 2-3 guys in mind. Ant AND at least one other person, and on this franchise, two other people. It can't be the McDaniels' of the world. Yeah KAT is a loser but so is this organization and I'm convinced they could ruin ANYONE, even if you're one of the 75 greatest of all time. If this team just expects Ant to do it alone, in 2 years we'll be wondering whether Ant should go (because in order to get the other two guys to join Ant, this team will need to do A LOT of losing and that's eventually gonna wear on Ant.)

KAT's regression in some ways has really pushed this team back to a very hopeless situation that will necessitate the kind of miracle that this team never stumbles upon in order to fix it. In the meantime, this team has to continue to try to unearth talent on the cheap who can become rotational players and right now, outside of Reid, this team isn't good at doing that either. It shouldn't be that hard to find guys in the G-League who can outplay guys on this team. They just need opportunity and this team should be the land of opportunity for hungry basketball players.


At the very minimum, his input is meaningless now. This team has tried it his way and it hasn't worked.

WildWolf2813 wrote:Sure, but the return for Towns will never satisfy you because he doesn't have the kind of value we think he has. The only player with a worse reputation than Towns is Ben Simmons and leave it to this team to wanna pair em together.

The problem is the idea of "trade KAT, build around Ant." 1. Ant might not be good enough for that, but that's a separate argument. The bigger issue is that it can't just be Ant. You have to build with 2-3 guys in mind. Ant AND at least one other person, and on this franchise, two other people. It can't be the McDaniels' of the world. Yeah KAT is a loser but so is this organization and I'm convinced they could ruin ANYONE, even if you're one of the 75 greatest of all time. If this team just expects Ant to do it alone, in 2 years we'll be wondering whether Ant should go (because in order to get the other two guys to join Ant, this team will need to do A LOT of losing and that's eventually gonna wear on Ant.)

KAT's regression in some ways has really pushed this team back to a very hopeless situation that will necessitate the kind of miracle that this team never stumbles upon in order to fix it. In the meantime, this team has to continue to try to unearth talent on the cheap who can become rotational players and right now, outside of Reid, this team isn't good at doing that either. It shouldn't be that hard to find guys in the G-League who can outplay guys on this team. They just need opportunity and this team should be the land of opportunity for hungry basketball players.


At the very minimum, his input is meaningless now. This team has tried it his way and it hasn't worked.

I would consider trading KAT but I would need at least 3 if not 4 unprotected 1sts from a mediocre at best team. Then pray they suck balls and we hit on picks.

Something like DLO + KAT in a 3 way trade with 3 1sts coming back and Simmons. DLO going to Philly, KAT going to team X, picks and Simmons coming here as the main pieces, maybe Philly gets another player from team X as well, we get filler for salary/etc....

You have Simmons and Ant you have your two key ball handlers and distributors. Then you simply need to fill in the rest of the squad with good role player 3 and D types (which is still not easy especially at center). I mean how many centers can shoot 3's alright and are good rim protectors/rebounders as well?

I'm still high on Simmons that he can still be an All Star player. So get me him and multiple picks and I'm stoked.

The Wolves need to keep their draft picks. I've cooled off on the idea of Ben Simmons as he's too much of a headcase to give up what it would take to get him. It certainly looks like Wolves will pick in the 5 to 10 range and we need to start nailing picks. There is no shortcuts, the Wolves have traded away first round picks for veterans and its never worked out well. We need to build through the draft.

Crazy, I'll answer your question with a very decisive "maybe". I agree with Cam that KAT may be the most talented big man in the association. But I don't know if he has the character to be the focal point of a winner. And that's why I'm open to dealing him. My initial reaction to the video you posted was distaste, but I'm willing to consider the possibility that he knew in that moment (as we all did) that Ant was going to go one on one and not share the ball. And if so, the smart move is to not clog the lane and get back on defense. Still I agree...it looks bad. If he waited a second or two and then busted back on defense, we wouldn't be talking about this now. But there's just something odd about KAT, and this is merely another example.

I agree with some of the others here that trying to move DLo would be my first priority. But with DLo's history of not being a winner combined with a poor defensive reputation and a sub 40% shooting percentage this season, I don't think Gupta is savvy enough to pull off a deal that would both make us better and please the fan base...many of whom still see DLo as a "star". I would not want to give up another first round pick to move him. But I would consider taking on perhaps three average non-star players, hopefully with reasonable short contracts, if it meant we could close the book on the Wig/DLo debacle...neither one will ever be the second best player on a championship team, and perhaps not even the third best.

But even though he is not my first chance of players to move, I think KAT's enormous production would guarantee a nice return...certainly way more than we would get back on a DLO deal. So if I were Gupta, I would be having quiet conversations to test the water temp.

I'm somewhat content with a 30-35 win season, but I don't think most of the fan base is. So it's essential that Gupta do something to shake up this roster. Whether it's moving KAT, moving DLo, or moving both, that's a decision far above my pay grade. I just know Gupta needs to do something quick or risk losing any fan support.

Like Cam, I'm as close as I've ever been to wanting to move KAT. I agree with Cam that he might be the most talented big in the League, but his play doesn't match his talent. I've given him the benefit of the doubt over the years, but I'm growing impatient with him - his infantile attitude and lack of toughness. All that said, I'm not ready to move him yet. The organization has still failed to build the team around him that makes sense. First and foremost, they've continued to pair him with undersized players up front. KAT absolutely needs a tough rebounding big with size next to him to maximize KAT's strengthens and minimize his weaknesses. Until this organization pairs him with that sort of player, it would be premature to move him in my view. They also need to pair him with a tough-minded all-star, not someone like DLO. We know this team can be a playoff team with KAT as it was several years ago with Butler and Taj Gibson.

Edwards might develop into the Butler-type all-star we need. But alas, I don't see this organization adding sort of big they need.

KAT and Jaylen Nowell to Phoenix for Ayton, Payne, Cam Johnson and Jalen Smith and 3 picks. Phoenix would have a lineup of KAT, Bridges, Crowder, Booker and CP3. Wolves could build around Ayton and Ant. I think Payne is underrated and Johnson and Smith are young with some upside.

Note: Phoenix traded away its 2022 pick, so the picks would be 2024, 2026 and 2028.