Trade Karl-Anthony Towns.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

I'll point out again that just a few nights ago late in the game San Antonio got the ball to Aldridge in the post and he made a killer mid-range turnaround to keep us at bay. It is possible to isolate KAT and get him the ball in crunch time. We just choose not to do it.

I do agree with Abe that, in general, the NBA is more geared toward perimeter-oriented players. We need a really good one, but not at the expense of KAT.

[Lipoli390]

I'll point out again that just a few nights ago late in the game San Antonio got the ball to Aldridge in the post and he made a killer mid-range turnaround to keep us at bay. It is possible to isolate KAT and get him the ball in crunch time. We just choose not to do it.

I do agree with Abe that, in general, the NBA is more geared toward perimeter-oriented players. We need a really good one, but not at the expense of KAT.

You nailed it, Q. The only thing I'll add is that KAT is the best perimeter player of the top bigs in the game. He's an elite three-point shooter and is actually pretty good getting to the hole from the perimeter on the dribble drive and scoring. He's surprisingly quick and explosive in that regard. And yes, he needs an elite perimeter player to team with. Aldridge has DeRozan. Jokic has Murray and Harris. Embiid has Simmons and Butler. KAT needs to be used better and he needs his own version of DeRozan.

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

I'll point out again that just a few nights ago late in the game San Antonio got the ball to Aldridge in the post and he made a killer mid-range turnaround to keep us at bay. It is possible to isolate KAT and get him the ball in crunch time. We just choose not to do it.

I do agree with Abe that, in general, the NBA is more geared toward perimeter-oriented players. We need a really good one, but not at the expense of KAT.

He's got a 41.9% EFG and 49.6% True Shooting in clutch situations this year. Rose is at 54.1 and 57.4. KAT just hasn't been good when he does get the ball in those situations since 2016-17. Combine that with Big men having a whistle disadvantage to begin with and really he should be a screener and 3pt outlet for a Rose play to close out games.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

It needs to be screamed from the mountain tops. Derrick Rose is not the future of this team or this franchise!

[thedoper]

It needs to be screamed from the mountain tops. Derrick Rose is not the future of this team or this franchise!

I don't know if it needs to be screamed. No one I can see is calling for us to build around Rose.

[crazy-canuck [enjin:18955461]]

Well the last 2 games that went to the final possession, saunders chose to go through rose and bayless. Not kat.

[Wolvesfan21]

I wouldn't mind seeing KAT get a deep post touch at all in the final few seconds. However you guys are right that the refs tend to hold there whistles a bit more at the end. Also, it's tougher to see the clock and take the final shot when you are in that position. I think it depends on the situation and time remaining. If he has time to kick out and swing to an open player it makes sense.

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic beg to differ. Both are inarguably the best players and one has his team at #4 in the East and the other is #2 in the West. Heck, I think LaMarcus Aldridge is San Antonio's best player and look at how they've been reeling off wins over the last few weeks.

I do agree you need a dynamic perimeter threat that can draw in extra defenders and create shots for himself and others (although Jokic may beg to differ on this point too). All of our perimeter guys come up short. But it doesn't HAVE to be your best player.

By the way, who is our 2nd best player? If we were winning a bunch of games, I bet that would be a relatively easy question to answer.

KAT needs help.....Just like Love needed help.....just like KG needed help.

Q, Mike Malone seems to agree with you with his quotes in this morning's Strib. Somehow Denver has gone from missing the playoffs to leading the division, despite some key injuries and not really adding any big names in the off-season. Malone attributes the team's success to finding a closer, and that closer is their center. He is both being used more, and is making a higher percentage of his shots at the end of games than he was last year. I love Jokic, but I also love Towns and see him as being as good or nearly as good as Jokic. I think the biggest difference between Denver and Minnesota is coaching. Malone runs his offense (throughout the game and at crunch time) through their center and best player, and Thibs and Saunders don't.

[Monster]

Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic beg to differ. Both are inarguably the best players and one has his team at #4 in the East and the other is #2 in the West. Heck, I think LaMarcus Aldridge is San Antonio's best player and look at how they've been reeling off wins over the last few weeks.

I do agree you need a dynamic perimeter threat that can draw in extra defenders and create shots for himself and others (although Jokic may beg to differ on this point too). All of our perimeter guys come up short. But it doesn't HAVE to be your best player.

By the way, who is our 2nd best player? If we were winning a bunch of games, I bet that would be a relatively easy question to answer.

KAT needs help.....Just like Love needed help.....just like KG needed help.

Q, Mike Malone seems to agree with you with his quotes in this morning's Strib. Somehow Denver has gone from missing the playoffs to leading the division, despite some key injuries and not really adding any big names in the off-season. Malone attributes the team's success to finding a closer, and that closer is their center. He is both being used more, and is making a higher percentage of his shots at the end of games than he was last year. I love Jokic, but I also love Towns and see him as being as good or nearly as good as Jokic. I think the biggest difference between Denver and Minnesota is coaching. Malone runs his offense (throughout the game and at crunch time) through their center and best player, and Thibs and Saunders don't.

It's such a different calculus when your center leads the team in assists and has 2 seasons now. Jokic is basically closer to playing a role like Giannis than a role of Towns. Towns is progressing in making his teammates better as a passer but there is progress that needs to be made. The Wolves are transitioning to utilizing Towns more than ever but yeah they don't run things through him late in the game. I think it will come.

[Wolvesfan21]

I do think it makes more sense to start and feature him more though too in the final couple minutes, just looking at the long term, who is most likely to be here in 3-5 years out of any current player? I would say KAT is. Continuing to develop him in all situations can only help us down the line. He has a solid handle and can quite easily shoot over smaller guys if they get the mismatch. Is he as clutch as say Rose right now? The stats say no, but if you are going to improve you need the experience.