The Knicks are expected to be aggressive in trying to add talent this summer and could be a leading contender if the Timberwolves decide to trade Karl-Anthony Towns, according to Sean Deveney of Heavy. A league source told Deveney that Towns would have interest in going to New York and speculated that it’s just a matter of time before the Knicks try to make it happen.
Deveney points out that Towns already has ties to the organization in team president Leon Rose, who is his former agent, and head coach Tom Thibodeau, who coached Towns for two and a half seasons in Minnesota. The Wolves’ early playoff exit, combined with New York’s surge into the Eastern Conference semifinals, creates even more motivation for the move to happen, Deveney adds.
Towns has one more season before his four-year, $224MM super-max extension kicks in, which will place a tremendous strain on the Wolves’ finances. Trading him might be the best option for avoiding the strictest provisions of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement.
“No matter the success this year, the Knicks are going to keep being aggressive,” an Eastern Conference executive told Deveney. “So you’d want to start with RJ Barrett there. But you can send (Obi) Toppin, you can send (Quentin) Grimes, (Miles) McBride. They do not want to trade (Immanuel) Quickley but if the target is Towns, maybe they would change that. You’d play Towns at the 5 if you were New York so they’d probably have Mitchell Robinson in the deal, and he could go to a third team. A lot of possibilities and Minnesota might be a better team by putting it all on (Anthony) Edwards and getting the right pieces from that mix.”
There’s more from New York:
- No timetable has been set for a return by Julius Randle, who reinjured his left ankle in Wednesday’s game, tweets Ian Begley of SNY.tv. Thibodeau said Randle was limited in Friday’s practice to shooting, lifting weights and doing cardio work in the pool. He’s considered day-to-day ahead of the start of New York’s second-round series with Miami on Sunday afternoon.
- Grimes, who missed the past two games with a right shoulder contusion, is optimistic that he’ll be ready for the series opener (video link from SNY.tv).
- The Knicks and Heat have been through some legendary playoff battles, but Josh Hart said that won’t have any effect this year’s series (video link). “It was 23, 27 years ago,” Hart told reporters. “Most of our guys weren’t even born yet. For us, those are the war stories of the past. We’ve got our own path.”
Only way I’m trading for KAT is if the wolves are giving me something to take him. He is not how you contend. Knicks are doing just fine. How is Minnesota?
right? that rumor is insane. he’s Charmin soft and shrinks under pressure. he’ll never win jack s**t.
$56 million a year for four years!? how is that not the worst contract in the league?
wolves are going to suck for a long, long time. those poor fans.
The NBA “fans” in Minnesota have gotten used to pathetic, inept ownership and player related moves by the clowns who have been employed since 1989 to supposedly lead the Timberpuppies to the promised land. This franchise is cursed.
They would be crazy to trade all of their young talent for the overrated and overpaid Towns. Hell no. Stay in the process. Keep drafting good players that will be on rookie contracts. When your players develop and mature, pay them. Do you think the Spurs would tear down a team developing and trending in the right direction? No, they would keep the players and develop them until they can contend for a championship !!!
Weird the Randle gambling story not getting more coverage. Well known thing in NYC. Troubling to say the least…
Stop trying to tear us down. Snitch
KAT for 8 contracts and 7 get dumped.
KAT had the opportunity to play on a winning team under Thibs. They were on the threshold, getting to 47-35 (same record the Knicks had this year). But KAT, along with Wiggins, decided it wasn’t worth having to deal with mean old Jimmy Butler yelling at them (they’re stars you know). Better to rejoin the 20 win club (not generally easy to do with two max guys, but no problem for MIN). KAT got what he wanted there, and then got his BFF Russell for Wiggins, and together they earned the right to get Edwards. Why would he have any desire to leave now?
Probably because they traded his BFF and acquired Gobert, pushing him out of position. They packaged a plethora of first rounders to take away any growth and they’re capped out. Yeah, I’d want to leave if they’re going to make poor decisions.
I was tongue in cheek there. I know why he might want out of the situation there. The real question is why the NYK would want to deplete their asset base to bail him out of that situation only to bring him to situation to one he already rejected?
Already rejected?
Yeah Townes is soft and sensitive and he doesn’t play defense or rebound like Robinson.
Randle is a serious problem for the Heat in this series, and I would worry about Quentin Grimes and Josh Hart against us in that matchup, especially without Oladipo and Herro. Heat would need Butler, Lowry, Kevin Love, Duncan, and Strus to have big games every night in that matchup, in my opinion
I personally would have wanted to avoid the k icks, although once they missed the philly matchup, milwaukee was better than Boston, so I knew it depended on the wing shooting and rebounding in that first round.
As I said at the time, Josh Hart was the perfect fit for them, and that’s why I thought they should have gone for him multiple times previously, and he was of significant importance in that first round and is just as important against the Heat moving forward, as again, I worry about Randle, Grimes, and Hart in that matchup, especially while half the team is playing through significant injury/are already out
I’m curious to see if any of those guys are also effected by anything right now, b/c I think that also could theoretically change the series a bit, although I could see someone like Fournier actually hurting us in a depth scenario, as he historically has; or Toppin at 4/5 could also be effective in some lineups theoretically, b/c of the Heat’s issues there
100% I think the Knicks win in 6 against the heat.
Randle is to big for Jimmy and if you put Bam on him then Robinson is going to have 20 rebounds a night. They will have to start Kevin Love as much as I love Kevin I can’t see him keeping with a much younger and more athletic Julius.
Also think Brunson will have another great series. He’s just such a great modern day but traditional guard. Has a handle, great passer, can score inside and out, high IQ and although undersized tries his best on defence.
RJ Barrett will have to locked in on defence on Jimmy and if not Josh Hart is also there to help.
Ultimately tho it’s Randle and Brunson vs Jimmy. Knicks will win the rebounding battle comfortably, they have better guards, younger and more athletic forwards, a bigger centre and better depth.
Knicks fans will say that the Knicks will win. Heat fans will say the Heat will win.
Both teams have a chance to win this series for different reasons. We’ll see who is able to have the reasons favor them for 4 wins.
And good luck with thinking that the Knicks will be winning any category comfortably. Last I checked, the Heat are here because they do not lie down for anyone. You’re not just playing against the team You’re also playing against their coaching and their culture.
The Troll again with his BS ……
Only gamble Randle has made. Is in letting Obi start …… get a life
Not worried about Heat. Let Randle heal. Cause we will need him in East Finals.
When you go thru a rebuild. You have the ups n downs. Last yr was the down, too many injuries. This year is the culmination of sticking with your core. Thibs has built this team. To reflect his character and winning ways. All these guys work. So they will keep getting better ………
it’s why it’s so much fun watching them play. Nice to see your team grow up. And become a good team …….. Knickerbockers, sayit
In Thibs we Trust ……
I’m gonna save this too.
Bring KAT home. I think he may be properly motivated if he’s back East.
Don’t believe KAT is a good fit in the Knick , Knick need a wing player star . Only way KAT would work if he agrees to play pf and Knicks trade Randell . KAT is not a good defender Robinson is . A front court of Randell and KAT would be disastrous in my opinion .
For salary purposes I think Randle would have to be included but the Wolves aren’t trading Towns unless he asks them to.
Call up Connelly. He is no brain wizard. Look how the Jazz fleeced him in the Gobert trade.
He may settle to recoup some of the future 1st round draft choices he pissed away on Gobert.
Agreed : Knicks (finally) have the the best packages to offer but I don’t see a player worth pushing the chips for this offseason
Id give the moon for Butler but that seems a lot less likely today than 2 weeks ago- Pass on Dame Lavine Towns – Lauiri would be a guy id look into for Fourn+ prospect capital tho, Og as well
One more versatile starter wing lets that bn run super deep with wing depth and kinda sets everyone into quality refined roles
DeRozan ….. fits right in at SG. A bucket when you need it most. Whole team will get better looks. Plus Grimes backing up the 2. Makes us super deep. I let DeRozan retire as a Knick. With him here we can go to Finals. I would love to get him.
Bulls are better off going younger. Plus they will get value. Obi and Quickley can start for them. And IQ is there in case Ball bails out again.
KAT isn’t a fan of Thibs. And the Knicks have nothing to trade that would interest Minnesota. It makes no sense to trade KAT for draft picks and prospects, they’d want another star.
No chance he ends up in New York, at least this off-season.
As for KAT, don’t think he’s a good fit for the Knicks at all. Too soft, never made a dent in the playoffs, lack of defence, ego …
I like the Knicks and thibs, play hard style which is the NY way. Guys like Brunson Randle Robinson Quickly and Hart really fit that mould. That leaves you with the likes of Fouriner Grimes Barrett Toppin Hartenstein McBride etc as trade chips along with picks. Obviously not much talent if your going for a superstar calibre player but that’s where you should be trying to win trades and make smart investments.
Your options really are as follows
1. Go for a slightly over the hill star or incredibly undervalued star like Brad Beal or Ben Simmons with all the scraps and picks.
2. Or invest in someone younger who isn’t a star yet but you believe could turn into one and fits into your existing team. Just to float some names but Trey Murphy, OG Anunoby or Josh Green.
3. Alternatively it’s just trade out the old or the new and continue to slightly improve.
Such as giving up Fouriner and sweeteners for a slightly better and more useful player like a DeAndre Hunter or Tim Hardaway Jr.
Again with your core being Brunson Randle Robinson Quickly and Hart. I’d be looking for wings, specifically secondary ball handlers and 3 and D role players.
Unrealistic in just 1 trade maybe but this is what I’d like to see…
NY: THJ and DeAndre Hunter
Dallas: Evan Fouriner and Obi Toppin
Atl: RJ Barrett and 2 second round picks
Leaving you with a team something like this
Brunson THJ Hunter Randle Robinson
Quickly Grimes Hart Hartenstein
Firstly I think THJ fits the NY/Thibs style perfectly. He was originally drafted to NY where he made all rookie first team but was traded in his second season. Now his dad is a scout for the Knicks and he has grown as a player. I think he would slot in great as a secondary ball handler and scoring option beside Brunson. If he doesn’t preform as expect you can still demote him to a bench scoring role and promote Grimes.
DeAndre Hunter would be my other notable addition. Think he’s a ideal 3 and D guy to fill the SF position. He’s got a big solid frame and can guard 1-4 with ease, pretty consistent on the offensive side of the ball always giving you about 15.
What your giving up is RJ Barrett, who has potential but is to inconsistent on offence and not enough of a standout defender. He doesn’t seem to suit the Thibs style and playing as the third string guy behind Brunson and Randle.
Fouriner isn’t getting minutes anywaus and is a expiring deal basically. However Obi is a bit of a loss he’s been solid recently but his inability to fit with Randle on the court and the fact he’s now in a contract year means I’d look to move him and avoid paying him.
You’re suggesting the Knicks move players like RJ or Grimes, picks, etc, for someone like Ben Simmons and that atrocious contract? That’s taking several steps backwards and questioning if Isiah Thomas secretly became the GM again.
Not a fan of KAT ….. plus Jimmy was talking about him too. When he left the Puppies.
We definitely have the players and assets to trade up. But we do it our way. Don’t overpay for anyone. Next yrs FAs also has a player or two. I still like Grant. I just think DeRozan is a better fit ……. In Thibs we Trust
This is Year 3 of the Rebuild ….. howedoin !!
Deveney is on crack if he thinks the Knicks will trade their team for KAT lol. He’s nowhere near as highly regarded as he was a few years ago and makes the super max.
absolutely not under no circumstances
Towns .nah were good